Summary: The article discusses Jiangsu province's "dual high synergy" model, fostering collaboration between its 18 high-tech zones and 37 universities to promote technological innovation and industrial advancement. This model, inspired by Xi Jinping's directives on integrating innovation, industry, finance, and talent, focuses on aligning academic disciplines with industrial needs, facilitating the translation of research into practical applications, and reforming talent acquisition and resource allocation. Examples include Nanjing University's collaboration with Changguang Huaxin on semiconductor technology and Jiangnan University's partnership with Wuxi Hi-tech Zone on biotechnology. Jiangsu aims to leverage its scientific and educational resources to develop new productive forces.
Summary: This article highlights the enduring legacy of Xi Jinping's early 1990s emphasis on "immediately handle, earnestly implement" (马上就办 真抓实干) in Fuzhou, now a key principle for government efficiency across Fujian. The article emphasizes the evolution of administrative reforms, from consolidating offices to online services, to improve the business environment and deliver on promises to businesses, citing examples such as the development of the Yuanhong investment zone and streamlined services for foreign investors like Fujian Changde Protein Technology. Officials in Fuzhou's agency for performance management, such as the head of the Fuzhou Municipal Efficiency Office, emphasized the importance of inspection and supervision mechanisms to ensure implementation and address problems effectively. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article discusses the relationship between "investment in things" (infrastructure and equipment) and "investment in people" (education and training) in China's economic development, particularly within the context of the "15th Five-Year Plan." It argues that these two types of investment are mutually reinforcing and essential for boosting domestic demand and achieving sustainable growth. The article stresses the importance of aligning investment decisions with the needs of the people, optimizing resource allocation between "things" and "people," and ensuring that the benefits of technological advancements are shared broadly. Emphasis is placed on coordinated planning and execution across different regions and sectors to maximize the effectiveness of these investments. Ultimately, the piece emphasizes the importance of human capital in driving innovation, consumption, and overall economic vitality.
Summary: China is advancing the use of bamboo as a substitute for plastics, steel and other materials, promoting it as a green alternative to reduce pollution and address climate change, in line with Xi Jinping's "bamboo for plastic" initiative. The country has made breakthroughs in bamboo-based composite materials, including their application in drone manufacturing, and is expanding the use of bamboo in various sectors like construction, packaging, and consumer goods. China is also promoting its bamboo products, technologies, and equipment internationally, offering a "Chinese solution" for global environmental protection. The country aims to further strengthen the bamboo industry through policy support, technological innovation, and the establishment of competitive industrial clusters. The article does not mention the United States or U.S. - China relations.
Summary: As of the end of February, China's total number of electric vehicle charging infrastructure points reached 21.01 million, a year-on-year increase of 47.8%, according to the National Energy Administration. Public charging points increased by 28.8% to 4.834 million, while private charging points increased by 54.6% to 16.176 million. China is implementing a "three-year doubling" action plan for electric vehicle charging infrastructure service capabilities, aiming to build 28 million charging facilities by the end of 2027. This expansion is projected to stimulate over 200 billion yuan in investment.
Summary: The article describes a springtime scene of people enjoying outdoor activities. It depicts a general atmosphere of renewal and leisure as individuals leave their homes to appreciate the season.
Summary: Li Ganije, a member of the Politburo and head of the United Front Work Department, conducted research in Yunnan Province, emphasizing the importance of implementing the Party's decisions and the spirit of the 20th Fourth Plenary Session regarding religious work, ethnic unity, and overseas Chinese affairs. He stressed the need to strengthen the rule of law in religious affairs, promote ethnic unity, and innovate in overseas Chinese affairs. During the visit, Li visited religious sites, held meetings, and emphasized the importance of studying Xi Jinping's thought on religious work and enhancing the legal awareness of religious believers. He called for strengthening the team of religious affairs cadres and promoting the ability of religious circles to self-educate, self-manage, and self-restrain.
Summary: The article discusses how China is developing energy-efficient data centers in Hainan, Ningxia, and Tibet by leveraging local climate and geographical advantages. Hainan is building undersea data centers cooled by seawater, saving energy and water, while Ningxia utilizes natural wind and solar power in the Gobi Desert to cool and power its data centers. Tibet uses "dry air energy" and heat recycling to cool data centers in Lhasa. The developments contribute to new infrastructure and are enabling green development.
Summary: The article focuses on China's efforts to promote the green and low-carbon development of data centers to support the rapid growth of computing power (算力) and the digital economy. National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) officials highlight the "East Data, West Computing" project, which directs data centers to western regions with abundant renewable energy. The government has issued policies to encourage the use of green electricity in data centers and the construction of clean energy computing centers. Director of the National Data Bureau Liu Liehong stated that the government will integrate computing power with green electricity and promote new power systems such as "source-grid-load-storage." Examples of such policies include the construction of ultra-large-scale intelligent computing clusters and computing-electricity coordination.
Summary: This article emphasizes the enduring legacy of Xi Jinping's "Immediately Act; Earnestly Implement" (马上就办 真抓实干) ethos in Fuzhou, Fujian, tracing its origins to his tenure as Fuzhou Party Secretary in the early 1990s. It details how Fuzhou has continuously improved government efficiency through initiatives like consolidating services into one building and streamlining online processes. The article highlights the positive impact of this approach on attracting investment, including from overseas Chinese, and improving the business environment, with specific examples of companies benefiting from proactive government support. Fuzhou's ongoing efforts to refine its oversight mechanisms and ensure policy implementation through proactive inspection underscore the importance of taking real action. It also mentions the expansion of the Fuzhou Changle International Airport.
Summary: The National People's Congress (NPC) approved the "15th Five-Year Plan," outlining China's development blueprint for the next five years with economic growth targets of 4.5%-5%. International media highlighted China's emphasis on sustainable development, innovation, and high-tech advancements, particularly in areas like AI, with the aim of high-level technological self-reliance. The plan has been interpreted as China's ambition to be a global innovation hub while promoting domestic demand-driven economic growth. Observers say China's commitment to multilateralism and opening-up offers opportunities for global cooperation, particularly for developing nations, in trade and industrialization, providing stability amid global uncertainty. The plan did not specifically mention the United States.
Summary: Politburo member and Vice Premier He Lifeng met with executives from multinational corporations, including HSBC, UBS, Louis Dreyfus, and Siemens Healthineers, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. He Lifeng stated that China's economy is stable and improving and that China will continue to expand high-level opening up during the 15th Five-Year Plan, creating market opportunities for foreign companies. He welcomed increased investment in China and deeper mutually beneficial cooperation. The executives expressed confidence in China's economy and a desire to expand investment in the Chinese market.
Summary: British Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Peter Bishop led a delegation of 35 British companies to China, visiting six cities, including Xi'an and Shenzhen, over two weeks. Bishop noted that the delegation was impressed by the modernity of Western Chinese cities and observed a shift in Chinese companies' internationalization thinking, including a desire to establish long-term partnerships with British institutions. Bishop emphasized that the China's "15th Five-Year Plan" and the UK's modern industrial strategy have a high degree of overlap, and highlighted the consensus between the two countries in green development. He mentioned that British companies successful in China view the country as a market for long-term investment and growth. Bishop emphasized the importance of direct engagement with China to truly understand the country, and noted that economic and financial dialogues have restarted between the UK and China.
Summary: French ski equipment company Rossignol Group sees significant opportunities in China's rapidly growing ice and snow market, with its China head, Simon Pompilio, emphasizing the importance of the Chinese branch to the company's global strategy. Rossignol and other French companies, like lift manufacturer Poma, have increased their investment in China following the Beijing Winter Olympics, recognizing the country's growing emphasis on winter sports as a lifestyle. Chinese manufacturing also plays a key role, supplying approximately half of Rossignol's "soft goods," while China's integrated resort model and extended operating hours, including night skiing, offer unique insights. Poma's International Business Director, Edouard Dovillaire, highlights China's innovative approach to snow resort development, offering new market opportunities for French companies.
Summary: To commemorate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations, this article highlights the deepening strategic partnership between China and Kuwait, noting that Kuwait was the first Gulf Arab state to establish relations with the PRC. The article emphasizes mutual support on core interests, with Kuwait adhering to the One China Principle. Bilateral trade has increased significantly, and cooperation is expanding under the Belt and Road Initiative and Kuwait's "2035 National Vision." People-to-people exchanges are also strengthening ties, and there is no mention of the United States.
Summary: The fifth Paraíba China Culture Festival was held in Brazil, featuring cultural exhibits and activities like calligraphy and martial arts. Participants noted the deepening cooperation between Brazil and China across various fields, including economics and trade, which is fostering mutual understanding. Chinese Consul General Lan Heping stated the festival kicks off activities in Northeast Brazil for the 2026 "China-Brazil Culture Year." The event also highlighted the large single-aperture radio telescope project, a joint Sino-Brazilian endeavor, which is expected to boost local tourism and economic growth. Officials expressed gratitude for the opportunities China brings through collaboration.
Summary: China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) commenced construction of the second phase of the Naivasha-Kisumu (Nema) railway in Kenya on March 19th. This extension of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and Nema Railway Phase 1, totaling 272.65 km, is a key project under the Belt and Road Initiative. The project aims to improve East African connectivity and sustainable development. Upon completion of the entire Nema railway and the planned Ugandan standard gauge railway, travel time between Nairobi and Kampala is expected to significantly decrease, as well as freight costs.
Summary: This article discusses the role of cultural and artistic initiatives in revitalizing rural areas across China, highlighting examples from Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Guangdong provinces. In Zhejiang's Xiashan Village, the integration of folk music and coffee, along with creative fish lantern production, has spurred economic growth and tourism. Jiangxi's Shiwolei Village has built an art museum to showcase local culture. Guangdong's Luoxing Village revitalized its historic market by collaborating with artists to create art spaces and attract visitors, as part of the "Cultural Industry Empowering Rural Revitalization" initiative.
Summary: A livestock farmer in Chongxin County, Pingliang City, Gansu Province, is raising cattle in renovated cave dwellings (窑洞), which provide a beneficial environment for the animals. The local government is promoting cave dwelling cattle raising as a centralized development model, offering subsidies and veterinary services to farmers. This model connects planting, breeding, processing, and tourism, benefiting more than 500 farmers. Farmers can also obtain loans using the cattle as collateral through a "live cattle mortgage loan" program. The county's technology team is also conducting experiments on feeding fermented soybean dregs to reduce feeding costs.
Summary: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued a risk warning for farmland waterlogging disasters, forecasting continuous rainfall in southern China from March 22nd to 26th. Central China including parts of Guizhou, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces are expected to face a higher risk of farmland waterlogging. Authorities recommended water storage, drainage, and flood mitigation measures in areas with excessive rainfall. The report does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's State Administration for Market Regulation has released the 2026 edition of the "Rules for the Administration of the Use of Special Equipment," set to take effect on May 1st. The new rules aim for clearer responsibility, improved management, more precise supervision, and optimized services in the administration of special equipment. Key features include clarifying responsibilities for safety supervisors and personnel, integrating risk control with hidden danger investigations, and implementing categorized management based on equipment scale and risk. Online applications and verification processes are also being promoted to streamline procedures.
Summary: The inaugural "International Taijiquan Day" was celebrated on March 21st with a main event in Wuyishan, Nanping, Fujian, alongside simultaneous events in Hubei, Henan, and Hebei. The event, celebrating UNESCO's designation of the international day named after a martial art, featured Taijiquan demonstrations by enthusiasts and champions, showcasing various forms and routines. The event was jointly organized by multiple entities including the International Wushu Federation, the General Administration of Sport of China, and the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau. The event also featured the opening of the first "Wanli Tea Road" International Taijiquan Invitational Tournament in Nanping, Fujian. No discussion of U.S. - China relations was noted in the article.
Summary: The Zhongguancun International Technology Exchange Center has officially launched in Beijing, aiming to establish a comprehensive technology trading service system and facilitate the global buying and selling of technological achievements. Guided by the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and Government, the center integrates multiple functions like technology display, transaction, and matching to connect research institutions, universities, enterprises, and capital markets. It was jointly created by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Zhongguancun Management Committee, Haidian District Government, and Zhongguancun Development Group. Over 90 institutions, including technology exchanges from Shanghai and Shenzhen, have already joined the center.
Summary: China is advancing the use of bamboo as a substitute for plastics, with the bamboo industry reaching an annual output value exceeding 520 billion yuan. A bamboo-based rotor drone recently completed its maiden voyage in Tianjin, marking a breakthrough in the application of bamboo-based composite materials in aviation. This initiative aligns with Xi Jinping's call to reduce plastic pollution and address climate change through the "bamboo-for-plastic" initiative. China is also promoting bamboo products and technologies internationally, offering a "Chinese solution" for global environmental protection. The U.S. is not mentioned in the article.
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Summary: This article highlights China's efforts to promote student health through sports, vision care, and improved school lunches, as part of the broader "Healthy China" initiative emphasized by Xi Jinping. Schools in Nanjing are implementing "ban class" sports competitions and AI fitness tools, while schools in Jinan are focusing on eye care through specialized facilities and vision screenings. Beijing is upgrading school kitchens and utilizing technology for food safety and monitoring, ensuring students have access to nutritious meals. The article does not explicitly mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's school-age population will experience "wave-like" changes in 2026, 2029, and 2032, posing challenges for educational resource allocation. The article highlights the need for proactive adjustments in educational resources to adapt to demographic shifts, including increasing resources in areas with growing populations and addressing imbalances between urban and rural schools. Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng stated the need to strengthen prospective research and judgment to address the issue. Some regions are exploring strategies such as early warning systems for school place availability, shared teacher models, and smaller class sizes, but the core of educational fairness must not change. The "15th Five-Year Plan" also addresses adapting educational resources to demographic changes, which can be used to promote high quality and balanced education.
Summary: Beijing 101 Middle School is exploring new approaches to science education by integrating disciplines, coordinating educational stages, and collaborating with research institutions. The school emphasizes hands-on learning and project-based activities, such as designing lunar bases and analyzing aerospace launch site selection, to engage students in practical applications of scientific knowledge. They have established partnerships with research institutions like the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop curriculum and provide students with access to real-world research environments. The school's curriculum is designed with a tiered approach, catering to different age groups and cognitive abilities to foster a continuous and progressive development of scientific literacy. The aim is to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, fostering innovation and problem-solving skills in students.
Summary: Chinese Agricultural University's "Soil Science Experiment" course utilizes a hands-on approach, dubbed the "playing in the mud course," to bridge the gap between abstract theory and practical understanding of soil for students in agriculture and related fields. Students learn to identify soil types through sensory methods like touch and sight, which are then verified with quantitative tools. The course is evolving to incorporate efficient testing methods and virtual reality to supplement limited field time with diverse soil type simulations. The goal is to foster a deeper appreciation for soil's role in agriculture and national food security, encouraging students to pursue careers in agriculture. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to create a summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: The 2026 "Kindred Spirit - Spring Festival for All" overseas performance, organized by the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, concluded in Paris after touring six countries and twelve cities in Asia-Pacific and Europe. The performances aimed to convey the warmth and blessings of the motherland to overseas Chinese communities through cultural performances. Artists performed classic and contemporary pieces, showcasing Chinese culture and evoking feelings of home and national pride among the diaspora. The performances also served as a cultural bridge, allowing foreign audiences to better understand China. Notably, performers visited the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) in Indonesia.
Summary: The article discusses the integration of Hengqin and Macau, focusing on improving the livelihoods of residents through various initiatives. It highlights efforts to streamline customs clearance with measures like facial recognition, enhance government services by establishing remote service counters for cross-border transactions, and integrate healthcare resources by allowing Macau doctors and medications to be accessible in Hengqin. Additionally, the article emphasizes the standardization of elderly care services, including the establishment of service centers and cross-border pension transfers. These measures aim to foster a "half-hour living circle" and create a more integrated and convenient environment for residents of both regions, contributing to the broader development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Summary: A lantern festival themed "Bay Area Unity, Splendid Future" is being held in Guangzhou's Nansha district, showcasing over a hundred lantern displays across five exhibition areas until May 10th. The festival highlights the cultural characteristics of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) through a blend of traditional arts, modern technology like VR and AI, and elements representing the GBA's heritage and future. The event emphasizes the integration and shared identity of the GBA, featuring exhibits designed to resonate with Hong Kong and Macao residents and collaborative projects by young people from the region. The festival aims to strengthen cultural bonds and promote a shared vision for the GBA's development. There is no mention of the United States.
Summary: The article reports on the 深水埗东 community living room (社区客厅) in Hong Kong, which opened in June 2025 and provides a space and services for residents of subdivided flats (劏房). The community living room, sponsored by China Merchants Group and operated by Po Oi Hospital, offers amenities like a dining area, study room, and laundry facilities. It aims to address issues faced by subdivided flat residents, such as limited living space and childcare challenges. The center also organizes activities and provides resources, fostering a sense of community and support for families. There is no discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a concise and accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: The city of Huzhou in Zhejiang province is focused on preserving its cultural heritage, exemplified by its historic Xiaoxi Street and the Sangji Fish Pond system. Xiaoxi Street is undergoing renovations to modernize living conditions while preserving its historical appearance and retaining original residents. The Sangji Fish Pond system, recognized as a globally important agricultural heritage site, is being protected through sustainable tourism and cultural activities, promoting local employment. The city is revitalizing the Yishang Street area by blending traditional culture with modern businesses, creating a unique commercial ecosystem. This approach ensures cultural preservation while driving economic growth and integrating historical landmarks into contemporary life.
Summary: The article discusses the trend of classical arts in China becoming more accessible to the general public through online platforms and public performances. Professional artists and state-level troupes are increasingly engaging with audiences outside traditional venues, leading to increased popularity and ticket sales. This interaction fosters a reciprocal relationship where artists gain inspiration and feedback from the public, enriching their art. The trend reflects a shift towards cultural confidence and a deeper connection between art and the people. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: Zhao Caixia, a national-level inheritor of Manchu Xincheng Opera, emphasizes the importance of innovation and dedication in preserving and promoting the art form. She highlights the need to adapt traditional techniques to appeal to modern audiences, incorporating new instruments and performance styles while maintaining the essence of Manchu culture. Zhao also focuses on training the younger generation, like performer Wang Yu, to ensure the opera's continued vitality. She has also been making efforts to promote the opera to tourists and in schools. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Chinese National Academy of Painting Director expressed commitment to improving rural aesthetic education (美育), drawing on personal experiences of unequal access to art education in childhood. The Director highlighted challenges in rural schools, including outdated multimedia equipment hindering digital resources' integration into art classes. As a result, the Director donated 30 teaching devices to three elementary schools in Shandong Province in 2024. In 2025, working with colleagues, the Director visited Shanxi Province and pledged personal funds over five years to support students in two counties, aiming to foster talent in local culture and art.
Summary: A joint exhibition in Changsha, Hunan, featuring the National Third Regular Script Calligraphy Exhibition and an invitational exhibition honoring Ouyang Xun, aimed to promote innovation and development within the traditional art form. The exhibitions highlighted contemporary trends in regular script calligraphy, including a return to classical Tang styles, integration of different calligraphic forms, and a renewed focus on fundamental techniques. However, challenges remain, such as separating technique from artistic intent, homogenization of styles, and insufficient integration of calligraphy with literature, history, and philosophy. The China Calligraphers Association advocates for upholding tradition while embracing innovation to create calligraphy that reflects both historical depth and contemporary relevance. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in this article.
Summary: This article discusses the resurgence of Chinese-style 2D animation, highlighting the importance of drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese art and culture. Recent successes like *Chinese Odd Tales* and *Langlang Mountain Little Monster* demonstrate the potential of blending traditional aesthetics with modern techniques, finding a balance between cultural roots and contemporary audience expectations. The key is to innovate within tradition, adapting elements like perspective, lighting, and character design to resonate with modern viewers. By integrating traditional aesthetics with modern technology, Chinese animation can achieve lasting vitality and unique artistic expression.
Summary: This article discusses the cultural significance of the Spring Equinox (春分) in China, highlighting its representation in traditional art. It notes that the Spring Equinox marks a time of balance and renewal, reflected in various customs like eating spring vegetables (吃春菜), flying kites (放风筝), and agricultural practices. The article examines paintings from various dynasties, including Qing Dynasty court paintings, that depict these customs and the natural phenomena associated with the Equinox. It emphasizes how these artworks capture the essence of the season and the wisdom embedded in Chinese culture. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A "new mass art" wave, characterized by public participation and co-creation, is reshaping China's cultural landscape. Shanghai Art Museum launched the "Amateur Curator Program" in 2023 to involve ordinary people in exhibition planning, aiming to connect the public with the art museum. Amateur curators bring their life experiences to reinterpret artworks, injecting unique humanistic perspectives. This initiative reflects a broader trend of museums and art galleries nationwide engaging the public in their development, transforming these institutions into platforms for co-creation and aesthetic education. The article does not discuss or allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article title indicates a Chinese painting titled "Moonlit Night in Xiaogang" by Wan Xiaoning. The piece likely depicts a moonlit night scene in the Xiaogang area, potentially focusing on traditional Chinese artistic themes. No political figures, statements, or U.S.-China relations are mentioned. The subject matter appears purely artistic in nature.
Summary: This short notice from the *People's Daily* provides contact information for submissions to the "Voice of the Masses" (*群众反馈*) section of the paper. The email address msfk@peopledaily.cn is listed for submissions. Cai Huawei is credited with the page layout design. The notice does not contain any information pertaining to Chinese politics, official statements, or U.S.-China relations.
By: 本报记者 邓建胜 姚雪青
Tweezers can be used to clamp a hair with a diameter of about 0.06 mm.
How to "clamp" particulate matter with a diameter of only 1/3000th of a hair?
In a provincial key laboratory jointly established by a school and an enterprise in Suzhou New District (苏州高新区), Jiangsu (江苏) Province, a beam of light emitted from a semiconductor laser forms an "optical tweezer" on a micron-scale sensor chip, "clamping" the particulate matter. According to the spectral images displayed in real time on the large screen, the researchers are conducting detection and analysis experiments in an orderly manner.
This sensitive "optical tweezer" was jointly developed by the team of Associate Professor Kou Junlong (寇君龙) of the School of Integrated Circuits of Nanjing University (南京大学) and Suzhou Changguang Huaxin Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd. (苏州长光华芯光电技术股份有限公司).
During this year's National People's Congress (全国两会), General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during his participation in the deliberation of the Jiangsu (江苏) delegation: "Explore new ways to promote the deep integration of the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain, and promote the efficient transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements." During the 2025 National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his participation in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation: "To grasp scientific and technological innovation, we must focus on building a modern industrial system and adhere to the simultaneous efforts in education, science and technology, and talent." The "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) proposes to "promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation."
To thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, 18 high-tech zones and 37 universities in Jiangsu (江苏) Province are developing collaboratively, empowering each other, exploring the "dual high synergy" model of "organized scientific research + organized transformation," and promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation.
Relying on advantageous industries to build disciplines and majors—
Currently, the new campus of Nanjing University (南京大学) built in Suzhou New District (苏州高新区) has been fully put into use. "We have successively built ten major colleges, including integrated circuits, robotics and automation, around the actual industries of Suzhou (苏州)," said Jiang Tian (姜田), Assistant to the President of Nanjing University, by way of example. The School of Integrated Circuits and leading enterprise Changguang Huaxin (长光华芯) jointly established a key laboratory to reserve technology for future cutting-edge applications.
"Organized scientific research" is not limited to "optical tweezers." "Since 2025, the 'dual high synergy' pilot units in Jiangsu (江苏) have cumulatively organized 594 industry-university-research docking and roadshow activities, and jointly carried out 779 technical tackling projects with a total investment of more than 1.74 billion yuan," introduced Xu Guanghui (徐光辉), Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology (江苏省科技厅厅长).
Aiming at the forefront of disciplines to lay out industrial tracks—
"The company just started operating and received an order of 700,000 yuan!" Zhang Hongtao (张洪涛), General Manager of Hetang Bioengineering (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. (禾糖生物工程（无锡）有限公司) and Associate Professor of the School of Biotechnology of Jiangnan University (江南大学生物工程学院), was overjoyed in a new factory building in Wuxi New District (无锡高新区).
This joy stems from another "dual high synergy." Wang Cheng (王澄), Deputy Director of the Science, Technology, Industry and Information Technology Bureau of Wuxi New District (无锡高新区科技工业和信息化局副局长), introduced that Jiangnan University (江南大学) has opened its "innovation assets" consisting of about 500 cutting-edge equipment and 1,800 graduate student supervisors to Wuxi New District. "Verification in universities—pilot testing on platforms—incubation in parks," Wuxi New District carries out "organized transformation" of innovative projects to promote the landing and incubation of Zhang Hongtao's "green biomanufacturing of human milk oligosaccharides" project.
As of now, the pilot high-tech zones have sorted out 1,383 technical needs from the enterprise side, and the pilot universities have sorted out and facilitated the docking of 1,040 transformable scientific and technological achievements with enterprises, involving fields such as electronic information, advanced manufacturing, and biomedicine, and 9 have been selected as key parks for cultivating new tracks in national high-tech zones.
Deepening reforms to break through bottlenecks and blockages—
Is it developing academics or investing in industry? Now it is not a single-choice question of either/or.
Dr. He Peng (何鹏), who returned from studying abroad, recently joined Suzhou University of Science and Technology (苏州科技大学) and an artificial intelligence company in Suzhou New District (苏州高新区) at the same time, "freely switching" between the school and the enterprise, thanks to Jiangsu's exploration of talent introduction models. Jiangsu (江苏) issued the "Dual High Synergy' Policy Guidelines List" and the "'Dual High Synergy' Reform Guidelines List," and pilot universities jointly paired up with high-tech zones to carry out "joint school recruitment" and "school employment for enterprises."
How can innovation resources keep up?
Not long ago, Xu Hanmei (徐寒梅), a professor at the School of Life Sciences and Technology of China Pharmaceutical University (中国药科大学生命科学与技术学院), registered a company in Nanjing Gulou High-tech Zone (南京鼓楼高新区). She encountered difficulties in financing, and the transformation process was once stalled.
"Wherever the talent team goes, innovation funds will follow," according to the "'Dual High Synergy' Policy Guidelines List," Gulou District (鼓楼区) of Nanjing (南京) and China Pharmaceutical University (中国药科大学) jointly established the Nanjing Biomedical Research and Transformation Fund with social investment institutions, with a total investment of nearly 60 million yuan in the first phase, to support 3 mature and demonstrative projects, including Xu Hanmei's research and development of tumor-targeted drugs.
By the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan" (十四五), the output value of Jiangsu's (江苏) high-tech industries accounted for 52.1% of the industrial output above designated size, with more than 61,000 high-tech enterprises and more than 1.26 million R&D personnel.
"Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest entrustment and striving for the '15th Five-Year Plan' (十五五), Jiangsu (江苏) will leverage the superimposed advantages of abundant scientific and educational resources and strong high-tech zones to carry out 'dual high synergy' and strive to explore a new path for developing new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions," said Xin Changxing (信长星), Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee (江苏省委书记).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 孟祥夫 刘晓宇
In the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Government Service Center of Fujian (福建) Province, the eight large characters "Immediately Act, Truly Grasp and Solidly Implement" ("马上就办 真抓实干") stand tall on the roof, shining brightly in the sunlight.
"We must vigorously promote the work spirit of 'immediately act'," "'Immediately act' plus 'truly grasp and solidly implement' will enable us to effectively change our work style, implement our work, and create a new situation"... In the early 1990s, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, deployed and promoted the construction of government efficiency, directly pointing to the malpractices of work style. Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) personally practiced what he preached and set a brilliant example for the vast number of party members and cadres.
More than 30 years have passed, and the spirit of hard work has become even newer. "Immediately act, truly grasp and solidly implement" has been carried forward and developed in the continuous inheritance, kept pace with the times in adhering to integrity and innovation, and inspired the vast number of party members and cadres to establish a correct view of political achievements, always working in a practical manner and striving to be the first.
The efficiency revolution is a never-ending self-revolution.
At 9 a.m., Lin Wanqing (林婉清), a citizen of Fuzhou (福州), came to the Municipal Government Service Center to handle the transfer procedures for a second-hand house. After handing a stack of materials into the comprehensive window, the matter was completed in a few minutes. Lin Wanqing (林婉清) happily pressed the "Service Satisfaction" button.
Working in one building reduces the number of trips for the masses. All approval items are gathered here, and the masses can enter one door and handle all matters.
All of this began with an important decision in the early 1990s. At that time, the problems of "difficult to handle affairs, slow to handle affairs, and complicated to handle affairs" were widely criticized by society. Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) decisively decided to advocate the implementation of "one building office" for investment project approval, concentrating the office windows of multiple departments together, so that enterprises and the masses "do not have to run all over the city to handle affairs." This pioneered the nation's centralized administrative approval.
"That was a self-revolution with the blade facing inward," said a relevant person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Administrative Service Center Management Committee. "Secretary Xi (习) said at the time, 'We have many things to do, and we need to provide a good soft environment for reform and opening up. This requires advocating a spirit of full load, opposing procrastination and buck-passing and loafing, improving efficiency, and doing today's things today.' We always keep this sentence in mind."
To win people's hearts and seek development, a good work style is the key. From "one building office" to "one window for all matters," to today's "one network for all matters," this self-revolution has never stopped, and the efficiency of government offices has been continuously improved. Today, Fuzhou (福州) has written "immediately act, truly grasp and solidly implement" into the administrative service regulations. The Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Government Service Center has more than 60 administrative units stationed, handling more than 2,000 approval items, and many high-frequency items are being optimized and upgraded from "at most one trip" to "no trip."
"In the past, the masses revolved around the departments, but now the data revolves around the masses," said Zhang Zeya (张泽雅), a staff member of the Approval Department of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Administrative Service Center Management Committee. In recent years, Fuzhou (福州) has innovatively launched "efficiently handle one matter 1+N," supporting enterprises and the masses to flexibly combine the main matter with multiple related matters, realizing "one application, one window acceptance, parallel approval, and integrated completion." At present, Fuzhou (福州) has launched 50 sets of "one matter" service scenarios, with a material streamlining rate of 68.1% and an approval time reduction of 63.9%.
Walking through the land of Fujian (八闽大地), government service centers and convenient service halls have become warm landscapes, and "at most one trip" and "no trip" are becoming a reality from promises.
Keeping one's word is the best business environment.
A long whistle sounded, and a freighter loaded with Indonesian coffee and palm oil slowly berthed at the Yuanhong (元洪) Wharf in Fuqing (福清) City.
"More than 30 years ago, this was still a tidal flat," said Zhong Jiangwei (钟江伟), Deputy Director of the Yuanhong (元洪) Functional Zone Management Committee of Fuzhou (福州) New Area, standing on the viewing platform of the Yuanhong (元洪) Investment Zone Planning Exhibition Hall. "In 1991, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Party Committee, led a delegation to visit Indonesia (印度尼西亚) to mobilize overseas Chinese leaders to return to their hometown to invest. Since then, on the coast of Fuqing Bay (福清湾畔), 'a tidal flat' has gradually transformed into an international industrial park."
It was that blueprint that led to the birth of the nation's first overseas Chinese affairs office development zone, the Yuanhong (元洪) Investment Zone, in 1992.
However, as Fuzhou's (福州) exchanges with domestic and foreign cities increased, the infrastructure gradually could not keep up. At that time, the state did not have a plan to build an airport in Fuzhou (福州), so Fuzhou (福州) decided to raise funds on its own and meet the difficulties: cadres and the masses raised part of the money, overseas Chinese donated part, the finance department strived for part, and the state subsidized part. After years of construction, Changle (长乐) International Airport officially opened in 1997. Since then, in order to adapt to the needs of expanding opening up, Fuzhou (福州) has comprehensively promoted the construction of a number of major infrastructure projects such as deep-water wharves, expressways, and urban expressways.
With the hardware facilities keeping up, the investment promotion efforts have increased, but many foreign businessmen are still waiting and watching. What is the problem?
"If you don't say it, then forget it, but if you say it, you must ask to the end," "Since you think of this matter, propose this matter, you must accomplish this matter, and do this matter well"... Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) insight into the business environment that year gave the answer: not only to "immediately act," but also to "truly grasp and solidly implement," and to keep promises to enterprises.
"One building office" and "one-stop service" have been promoted, and models such as "one window acceptance and integrated service" have been continuously innovated... Companies such as Top Victory Electronics (冠捷集团) and Southeast Motor (东南汽车) have settled in Fuzhou (福州), and the Fuzhou (福州) Free Trade Zone (福州保税区) and the Fuqing (福清) Rongqiao (融侨) Economic and Technological Development Zone (经济技术开发区) have rapidly risen.
Today, from the banks of the Minjiang River (闽江) to the foot of Wuyi Mountain (武夷山), from the special zone window to the old revolutionary base areas, the work style of "immediately act, truly grasp and solidly implement" has become a golden sign of Fujian's (福建) business environment.
In the central control room of Fujian Changde Protein Technology Co., Ltd. (福建长德蛋白科技有限公司), a huge screen displays the data flow of the entire chain from the Indonesian (印尼) plantation to the Fuzhou (福州) production line. Palm kernels from Sumatra (苏门答腊岛) are deeply processed here into high-end plant protein products and sold to the world.
"From project signing to production, the 'park service team' is stationed throughout the entire process, and any problem is 'immediately acted upon and done well'," said Zhang Jingfang (张靖芳), executive director of the company, with emotion. "This attitude of keeping one's word and this atmosphere of truly grasping and solidly implementing is the reason we chose here."
Grasping work style is valuable in being serious.
At 8 p.m., the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Leading Group Office for Government Efficiency Construction is still brightly lit. The huge "war map" on the wall showing the progress of key projects is densely marked with the latest progress of key projects in the city. Among them, some projects are heavily marked - these are the "top priorities" of the current supervision task.
"The core of efficiency construction is 'efficiency', and the key is 'ability'," said the person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office, while checking the "war map" and using a computer to open the "Efficiency Fujian" platform. The interface immediately switched to the project details of the second phase expansion project of Fuzhou Changle (福州长乐) International Airport. "This is one of the major projects that we have been focusing on supervising recently. After the on-site coordination and promotion and front-line supervision and assistance of the efficiency supervision team, valuable time has been won for the project to be completed and put into use in June 2026."
"'Immediately act' is key, it is necessary to grasp the supervision work, to 'look back'," Xi Jinping (习近平) proposed "immediately act" while serving as Secretary of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Party Committee, while improving the supervision mechanism and building a normal mechanism to ensure that party members and cadres do their work in a practical manner and achieve results. Since then, many handling mechanisms focusing on "immediately act" such as the "first question responsibility system," "time-limited settlement system," and "front-line supervision and assistance" have been continuously launched and adhered to to this day.
Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) requirements that year have become an important work guideline for the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office. From the early secret visits and special supervision to today's "Internet + supervision" and big data precise monitoring, the methods are iterating, but the "problem-oriented, serious and hard-hitting, and grasping to the end" remains unchanged.
"Secretary Xi (习) said, 'Grasping without tightening is equal to not grasping; grasping without being practical is equal to grasping in vain'," said the person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office, adding that grasping work style construction is valuable in being serious. The local area has established a closed loop of the entire process of efficiency supervision of "discovering problems - precise handling - time-limited rectification - tracking supervision - result feedback - evaluation and effectiveness." Among them, since 2025, through the use of the "front-line supervision and assistance" mechanism, more than 120 difficult problems such as land approval, fund allocation, and element guarantee have been coordinated and resolved by promoting relevant departments and units to take responsibility.
When the work style is correct, the people's hearts are smooth, and when the work style is good, the cause is prosperous. The correct view of political achievements is not in slogans, but in practical things that have been accomplished one by one. Today, Fuzhou (福州) is carrying out in-depth activities of "deeply studying to strive for excellence, daring to be the first, and striving for effectiveness in hard work," and continuously promoting the "striving to be the first" action. "Immediately act, truly grasp and solidly implement" is constantly internalized into the conscious action of the vast number of party members and cadres, accumulating surging power for promoting high-quality economic and social development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曲哲涵
The recently announced "15th Five-Year Plan" proposes "closely integrating investment in things and investment in people." What is the relationship between "investment in things" and "investment in people," and how should "closely integrating" be understood?
——People's Daily Online Netizen (人民网网友)
"Investment in things" and "investment in people" are two major means of driving economic development. The former improves production methods and increases output efficiency through investments in infrastructure, advanced equipment, and the like. The latter promotes the improvement of people's abilities and the development of their potential throughout the entire population and life cycle through investments in childcare, education, skills training, and the like, promoting the accumulation of human capital and forming a human capital dividend.
Accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, the key lies in the smooth and unimpeded economic cycle. "Closely integrating investment in things and investment in people" emphasizes the mutual empowerment of the accumulation of things and the development of people, making the domestic circulation more endogenously driven and the economy more vibrant.
In practice, investment in things and investment in people are mutually supportive.
Investment in things consolidates the foundation for development and creates conditions for investment in people. Highways and railways crisscross, bridges span rivers and seas, and 5G networks cover more than 90% of administrative villages... As the "ballast stone" of economic growth, "stable investment" provides a source of vitality for residents to stabilize employment and income, and also provides a solid material foundation for better investment in people.
Investment in people activates the driving force for development, making investment in things more efficient and promising. At present, the number of college graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors in China exceeds 5 million each year, providing strong talent support for high-quality development. From the introduction of childcare subsidies and elderly care service subsidies to the issuance of "national subsidies" for trading in old for new, the intensity of people's livelihood security and inclusive policies continues to increase, enhancing residents' willingness and ability to consume, opening up markets for existing production capacity, and pointing the way for future investment.
Adhering to the simultaneous promotion of investment in things and investment in people, promoting a virtuous cycle of productivity improvement and people's livelihood improvement, helps China create two major miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Under the new situation, to meet the people's yearning for a better life, it is necessary to further improve this "close integration."
Identify the "real questions," adhere to the people's livelihood orientation, make investment decisions more in line with the expectations of the people, and pay more attention to long-term returns—
What the people expect, from basic survival to self-realization, from material satisfaction to spiritual enrichment, is often the "blue ocean" of the consumer market and the key to clearing the blockages in the economic cycle.
In terms of investment direction, it is necessary to improve the decision-making mechanism of seeking needs from the people; in terms of investment structure, optimize the resource allocation of "things" and "people," and promote policies to be more inclined to education, medical care, public services, and other fields with long-term social returns that can strengthen the "soft power" of development.
Calculate the "overall account," adhere to systematic thinking, and pay attention to overall planning and coordinated efforts—
"Eastern Data and Western Calculation" (东数西算) is a model of systematic layout and coordinated promotion. Accelerating the construction of a national computing power network not only consolidates the foundation of the digital economy and green development, but also releases people's livelihood dividends—more and more "digital and intelligent towns" and "city brains" broaden employment channels and improve the quality of life; more and more "remote consultations" and "artificial intelligence classrooms" integrate public resources and improve service quality...
It is necessary to continue to uphold the "one game of chess" thinking, strengthen the linkage between the central and local governments, regions, and departments, and promote the complementarity of "things" and "people" in the layout of industries and other aspects, and the connection in the development cycle, to achieve efficient use of resources.
Share the "fruits of development," adhere to the sharing of results, and promote the mutual promotion and common appreciation of technology, capital returns, and human development—
At present, new technologies such as artificial intelligence are improving productivity while also bringing challenges such as changes in the employment structure. Enterprises can transform technological dividends into employee development dividends through vocational training and other means. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the income distribution and social security mechanisms, promote the reform of data element rights confirmation and platform employment security, so that the majority of workers can become beneficiaries, consumers, and innovative forces in the digital age, and make technological progress truly serve the smooth economic cycle.
People are the most active factor in productivity and the most decisive force. On the domestic demand chain, from investment to consumption, as long as people's initiative is stimulated, new supply and new demand can be created continuously, which is the root and essence of the endogenous power and reliability of the domestic circulation.
On the new journey, adhering to the "close integration of investment in things and investment in people" will surely inject profound and lasting impetus into the comprehensive construction of a socialist modern country.
By: 本报记者 顾仲阳 董丝雨
A "bamboo wing" drone opens up a new green track for the low-altitude economy.
At the beginning of this year, the bamboo-based tilt-rotor drone successfully made its maiden flight in Tianjin (天津), marking a major breakthrough in China's application of bamboo-based composite materials in the aviation field.
"The proportion of bamboo material used in the fuselage exceeds 25%, and the skin structure is entirely made of independently developed high-performance bamboo-based composite materials, which is the first of its kind in global fixed-wing drones." Qin Daochun (覃道春), director of the International Bamboo and Rattan Centre, introduced that the drone has dual advantages in terms of performance and cost. The weight of the entire machine is reduced by more than 20% compared to lightweight and high-strength carbon fiber materials, and the cost of bamboo green veneer is only about 1/4 of that of ordinary carbon fiber cloth.
China is the country with the most abundant bamboo resources in the world, with nearly 8 million hectares of bamboo forests and an average annual production of 150 million tons of bamboo.
In November 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the 25th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization and the Second World Bamboo and Rattan Congress that the Chinese government is working with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization to implement the Global Development Initiative and jointly launch the "Bamboo for Plastic" initiative to promote countries to reduce plastic pollution, address climate change, and accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China has been implementing the "Three-Year Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of 'Bamboo for Plastic'" in depth. The scale of the bamboo industry has continued to grow, and a bamboo industry system with complete categories, rich formats, and distinctive characteristics has been initially formed, forming a highly efficient "eat dry and squeeze clean" whole bamboo utilization model.
Moving towards new and better directions, small bamboos support big industries. As of now, the variety of bamboo products in China has exceeded 15,000, and the annual output value of the bamboo industry exceeds 520 billion yuan.
——The variety of bamboo products is rich, and the application scenarios are more diverse.
Walking into Jiangxi Ganzhou Sentai Bamboo and Wood Co., Ltd. (江西赣州森泰竹木有限公司), a bamboo pipe organ attracts attention. The sound produced by tapping the bamboo mallet lightly is melodious and pleasant.
"The mechanical structure of the traditional pipe organ is combined with the innovatively designed bamboo soundboard and resonance components, which not only retains the basic playing characteristics of the pipe organ, but also incorporates the unique timbre of bamboo." Xu He (许贺), general manager of the company, introduced that the company can also produce more than 1,500 kinds of high-quality products such as bamboo structural materials for construction, bamboo decorative materials, indoor and outdoor bamboo furniture, and bamboo accessories.
Bamboo tableware and bamboo film bags are widely used in daily life, and bamboo grilles and bamboo grille water filling materials are gradually promoted in construction, industrial cooling systems and other fields. Bamboo fiber composite materials have been successfully applied to automotive interiors... As a green, low-carbon, and degradable biomass material, bamboo is becoming an important substitute for traditional materials such as plastics and steel, helping to achieve the "dual carbon" goal.
The application scenarios of "Bamboo for Plastic" are more diverse. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林草局) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) updated and released the "Main Product Catalogue of 'Bamboo for Plastic' (2025 Edition)", which expanded the application scope of bamboo products to replace plastics. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部), the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部), the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) and other departments actively promote the implementation of "Bamboo for Plastic" products in key areas such as building materials and express packaging. Fujian (福建), Zhejiang (浙江), Sichuan (四川), Anhui (安徽) and other places have issued special documents to encourage the use of bamboo products to replace plastic products in accommodation and catering, life services, cultural tourism and other fields.
——Core technologies continue to break through, breaking traditional application boundaries.
At the site of the Er Biao project of the Dongliu River (东柳河) moat sewage trunk pipe in Dazhu County (大竹县), Sichuan (四川), construction workers accurately laid bamboo winding composite pipes in the trenches to build a sewage collection and transportation channel in the Dongliu River moat area.
"Our independently developed bamboo winding composite material technology can process bamboo into large-diameter pressure pipelines, urban integrated pipe corridors, and even high-speed train carriages. It has many advantages such as light weight, high strength, thermal insulation, sound insulation, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, low comprehensive cost, and convenient construction. It can widely replace traditional high-energy-consuming materials such as steel and cement." Ye Ling (叶柃), chairman of Zhejiang Xin Zhou Bamboo-Based Composite Materials Technology Co., Ltd. (浙江鑫宙竹基复合材料科技有限公司), introduced.
As China's first new infrastructure material, bamboo winding pipes have achieved large-scale application in municipal, water conservancy, transportation and other fields. At present, more than 700 kilometers have been laid in 11 provinces, production efficiency has increased by 25%, and unit cost has decreased by 13%.
Technological innovation is the core engine for the new development of the bamboo industry. Through the establishment of the "14th Five-Year Plan" national key research and development plan "reveal the list and take command" project, the National Natural Science Foundation major project, etc., a number of technical problems such as bamboo fiber graded utilization and composite material manufacturing have been solved, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration has cumulatively released 37 key scientific and technological achievements of "Bamboo for Plastic". Sodium-ion battery hard carbon anode materials, trendy furniture and fashion... New bamboo materials are constantly breaking traditional application boundaries.
——The whole chain is integrated and developed to enhance the added value of the industry.
In Daguan County (大关县), Yunnan (云南), in the Jing'an factory of Jishidao (Yunnan) Food Technology Co., Ltd. (吉食道（云南）食品科技有限公司), the modern bamboo shoot processing production line is operating efficiently, and trucks loaded with bamboo shoot products are heading to various places. "During the peak sales season, products such as bamboo shoot slices, bamboo shoot strips, clear water bamboo shoots, and pickled pepper bamboo shoots are in short supply." Said Zhang Qiong (张琼), head of the factory's comprehensive management department.
Upstream, cultivate large-scale business entities and unblock blockages in logging, storage, etc.; in the midstream, strengthen leading industries such as bamboo furniture and bamboo fiber products, and develop emerging industries such as bamboo pharmaceutical chemicals and bamboo biomass energy; downstream, promote the integrated development of the bamboo industry with cultural tourism, health care, and cultural creation.
Various regions adapt to local conditions to create a whole-chain, multi-functional, and high-value industrial system. The whole bamboo efficient utilization model of “吃干榨净” (chī gān zhà jìng - "eat dry squeeze clean," to make the most of something; to exploit something to the fullest) has been implemented one after another. From bamboo shoot processing and primary production of bamboo products to diversified extensions of "bamboo technology + bamboo cultural tourism + bamboo carbon sink", the total output value of the bamboo industry in Nanping City (南平市), Fujian (福建) exceeded 50 billion yuan last year. Launching a full-chain experience of appreciating bamboo, tasting bamboo, and playing with bamboo, Xingwen County (兴文县), Sichuan (四川) received 1.8 million tourists in the first half of last year in the Bamboo Cultural Tourism Integration Zone of Mount Bo (僰王山).
As of now, there are more than 10,000 bamboo processing enterprises across the country, and the entire industrial chain has absorbed more than 29 million employees.
While the domestic bamboo industry is being upgraded, various regions are actively promoting bamboo products, bamboo technology, and bamboo equipment to "go global" to provide Chinese solutions for global "Bamboo for Plastic" and environmental protection. 280,000 mu of bamboo forests in Youxi County (尤溪县), Fujian (福建) have obtained international FSC (Forest Management Committee) certification. After obtaining the "international green pass", the premium for export products has reached 20%. Youxi Yongfengmao Paper Industry (尤溪永丰茂纸业) uses bamboo fiber to develop environmentally friendly tableware, which can replace plastic products. Last year, the export volume of related products increased by 35% year-on-year.
The relevant person in charge of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林草局) stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, China will further improve the policy guarantee system, increase support for the circular economy development of the bamboo industry, and strengthen the construction of a whole-chain standard system for "Bamboo for Plastic" product technology. At the same time, we will strengthen the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, create a competitive bamboo industry cluster, and lead the comprehensive transformation and upgrading of "Bamboo for Plastic".
Return to TopAccording to the National Energy Administration (国家能源局), as of the end of February this year, the total number of electric vehicle charging infrastructure (charging points) in China reached 21.01 million, a year-on-year increase of 47.8%. Among them, the number of public charging facilities (charging points) was 4.834 million, a year-on-year increase of 28.8%; the number of private charging facilities (charging points) was 16.176 million, a year-on-year increase of 54.6%.
China is conducting an in-depth "Three-Year Doubling" action to improve the service capacity of electric vehicle charging facilities. By the end of 2027, 28 million charging facilities will be built, which is expected to drive investment of more than 200 billion yuan.
Return to TopWith the warm spring and blossoming flowers, and the revival of all things, it is a good time for spring outings and enjoying the scenery. People are leaving their homes and enjoying the spring time. 春暖花开 (chūn nuǎn huā kāi - "warm spring flowers bloom," describes the pleasant scenery of spring) and 万物复苏 (wàn wù fù sū - "ten thousand things revive," everything comes back to life in spring).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Kunming (昆明) report on March 21st (Reporter Li Changyu (李昌禹)): From March 18th to 21st, Li Ganjie (李干杰), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, emphasized during his research in Yunnan (云南) that it is necessary to take Xi Jinping (习近平)'s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th Fourth Plenary Session of the Party, grasp the political requirements of the United Front work, give play to the political role of the United Front, establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, further improve the legalization level of religious work, promote the innovative development of overseas Chinese affairs, and **真抓实干** (zhēn zhuā shí gàn - "truly grasp and solidly do," to work diligently and pragmatically) to ensure that the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee are implemented.
Li Ganjie (李干杰) visited Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture (西双版纳傣族自治州), Yuxi City (玉溪市), and Kunming City (昆明市), visited religious activity venues and the China Advanced Buddhist College of the Pali Language System (中国巴利语系高级佛学院) and the Xishuangbanna Branch of the Yunnan Buddhist College (云南佛学院西双版纳分院), and learned about the situation of strengthening management and education in accordance with the law. During the research, Li Ganjie (李干杰) presided over a symposium to listen to opinions and suggestions on systematically promoting the Sinicization of religion in China and strengthening the rule of law in the governance of religious affairs. Li Ganjie (李干杰) said that it is necessary to deepen ideological understanding, deeply study and thoroughly understand General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平)'s important expositions and important instructions and approvals on religious work, accurately grasp the core essence and practical requirements, accurately grasp the focus direction and basic principles of religious work, strengthen confidence and determination, and resolutely shoulder the political responsibility of religious work. It is necessary to improve the system and mechanism, consolidate the foundation at the grassroots level, grasp the policy scale, strengthen publicity and interpretation, do a thorough and meticulous job in mass work, and effectively promote the implementation of religious policies, regulations, and documents. It is necessary to adhere to the problem-oriented approach, find out the bottom line, grasp the situation, continuously manage the chaos in the religious field, guide religious believers to enhance their awareness of the rule of law, and consciously resist illegal religious activities. It is necessary to focus on building a strong team, strengthen business training, forge a loyal, clean, and responsible team of religious workers, and promote the religious community to improve its ability and level of self-education, self-management, and self-discipline.
Li Ganjie (李干杰) also walked into the Theme Education Hall for Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, listened to the introduction of the publicity and education work for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, went deep into multi-ethnic mixed residential villages, and investigated the production and life of ethnic minority people and the creation of national unity and progress; he inspected historical and cultural sites involving overseas Chinese, innovation and entrepreneurship bases for new overseas Chinese, and Chinese language colleges to understand the inheritance and development of historical and cultural heritage, services for overseas Chinese, and Chinese language education. Li Ganjie (李干杰) said that it is necessary to solidly promote the publicity and implementation of the law on promoting national unity and progress, tell the story of the Chinese national community, and promote extensive exchanges, interactions, and integration among all ethnic groups. It is necessary to fully implement the Party's policy on overseas Chinese affairs, innovate working methods, tap and make good use of historical and cultural resources, strengthen ideological and political guidance, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese and returned overseas Chinese, and draw a maximum concentric circle for building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
Return to TopData centers are an important infrastructure supporting the development of new quality productive forces and are also one of the fastest-growing areas of energy consumption in China.
In recent years, some regions have relied on their advantages in terrain, climate, and energy to build distinctive data centers. These centers not only provide computing power guarantees for the booming digital industry and achieve good economic benefits but also actively explore energy conservation and carbon reduction, promoting green development through technological innovation and bringing good ecological benefits.
——Editor
Giving Servers a "Sea Bath"
By Cao Wenxuan (曹文轩), reporter of this newspaper
Clearwater Bay in Lingshui Li Autonomous County (陵水黎族自治县), Hainan (海南), features coconut groves, sandy beaches, and leisurely tourists. In the same sea area, several capsule-like data pods "lie" 35 meters underwater, where massive amounts of data run rapidly—this is the world's first commercial submarine data center, which has been operating smoothly for nearly 3 years.
In 2020, the *Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port* (《海南自由贸易港建设总体方案》) was released, with "facilitating data flow" being one of the key tasks before 2025. "The digital construction and cross-border data business of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) require a large number of servers to support them. However, as a tropical island, Hainan Island (海南岛) has limited freshwater and land resources, and the climate is hot and humid all year round, making it difficult to build data centers," said Pu Ding (蒲定), General Manager of the Hailan Cloud (海兰云) Submarine Data Center Hainan Demonstration Development Project.
Leveraging the abundant marine resources, Hainan (海南) reached a cooperation agreement with Hailan Cloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd. at the end of 2021 to introduce a commercial submarine data center project, which will be built in Lingshui (陵水) in three phases. "Our research found that Lingshui (陵水) is the location of the international submarine cable landing stations of China Telecom (中国电信) and China Mobile (中国移动). The submarine data center can utilize the existing international submarine cables to undertake more cross-border data business in the future," said Pu Ding (蒲定).
But can data be stored on the seabed? Can servers be placed in water?
"Putting servers on the seabed is like taking a sea bath in the dog days—so refreshing!" Pu Ding (蒲定) explained that servers need continuous heat dissipation, which requires a lot of electricity or freshwater for cooling on land. However, putting data pods filled with servers into the seabed allows them to be naturally cooled by the flow of seawater. The offshore area of Clearwater Bay (清水湾) is within the scope of the Qiongdong Upwelling (琼东上升流), where the nearshore seawater temperature is consistently below 24.5 degrees Celsius, making it particularly "cool," saving electricity, water, and land.
How much can be saved? Li Jiawen (李家文), Deputy General Manager of Hailan Cloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd., used the first phase of the commercial submarine data center project as an example: "At full power, compared to a traditional land-based data center of the same size, it can save 26,000 tons of water per year; save 3.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which can reduce carbon emissions by about 2,720 tons, equivalent to planting nearly 150,000 trees."
Servers are most afraid of water, so waterproof sealing is crucial on the seabed. "When sealing the data pod tank, the order and direction of each bolt must be precise. To this end, we have developed a set of operating procedures," said Pu Ding (蒲定). During the research and development phase, the team overcame a series of technical problems and created a constant humidity, constant pressure, oxygen-free, and dust-free working environment for the servers on the seabed.
Underwater data pods, substations, optoelectronic composite cables, and a data center shore station on the coast together form the submarine data center. The shore station is the "smart brain" of the data center. "Daily operations can be maintained through an intelligent remote control system on the shore, reducing the daily inspection work of operation and maintenance personnel and greatly reducing the later operating costs," said Pu Ding (蒲定). The shore station has fewer than 10 employees.
With fewer human visits, the data pods are not "lonely." Through the underwater monitoring equipment at the shore station, it can be seen that schools of fish are gathering and swimming around the data pods. The project team tested that after the seawater heat exchange of the pod, the water temperature within two meters rises by less than 1 degree Celsius, which is less than an hour of exposure to the midday sun. The slightly increased water temperature and reduced water flow, on the contrary, make the data pods a "haven" for marine life.
"The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology and related infrastructure has made the problem of computing power energy consumption increasingly prominent. Green has become the focus of future development for data centers and intelligent computing centers," said Li Jiawen (李家文). The Lingshui (陵水) commercial submarine data center is operating smoothly. Compared with servers of the same size, the overall energy efficiency is increased by more than 30%. Artificial intelligence computing power pods and other servers have been put into use successively, gradually forming a more efficient and energy-saving green computing power cluster.
Relying on institutional innovations such as the negative list for data outbound management, coupled with location advantages and international communication hub advantages, the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) will further activate the value of digital elements and help boost computing power going overseas.
Let the Desert "Cloud" Blow Cold Wind
By Qin Ruijie (秦瑞杰), reporter of this newspaper
In early spring, the southern edge of the Tengger Desert (腾格里沙漠) still has a slight chill in the breeze. Walking into the Western Cloud Base in Zhongwei City (中卫市), Ningxia (宁夏), the wind "blows" non-stop. Through winding ventilation corridors, the cold wind "blows" a large amount of accumulated heat from the data center to the outside.
"Wind is a good thing for energy saving," said Zhang Anwei (张安伟), an operation and maintenance engineer at the China Telecom (中国电信) Zhongwei Data Center. Natural air cooling technology greatly reduces carbon dioxide emissions and electricity consumption. Compared with traditional large data center cooling solutions, the annual energy saving rate exceeds 60%.
Driving along Xiyun Avenue (西云大道) in the Zhongwei Industrial Park (中卫工业园区), rows of silver-white factory buildings stand side by side, stretching for several kilometers. Since 2013, Zhongwei (中卫) has joined hands with Beijing's Zhongguancun (中关村) to plan and build the Western Cloud Base. Today, Zhongwei (中卫) has 9 large and super-large data centers, with a total of 230,000 standard racks in the data center cluster, making it a national hub node city for the integrated national computing power network.
The expansion of the industrial scale has brought new challenges. "Power consumption and heat dissipation requirements have also increased, and operating costs have risen," said Ren Tao (任涛), Deputy Director of the Zhongwei Municipal Data Bureau (中卫市数据局). In 2025, the total electricity consumption of the Zhongwei (中卫) data center cluster will reach 1.438 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 47.03% year-on-year, and there are still 16 data center projects under construction. "Solving the contradiction between computing power growth and electricity consumption and promoting the coordinated development of computing and electricity are problems that must be solved in data center construction."
Zhongwei (中卫) guides data center enterprises to explore throttling by developing new technologies to improve energy efficiency. The ubiquitous cold wind in the desert has become a breakthrough. Zhongwei (中卫) has a large temperature difference between day and night, and the annual average temperature is only about 8.8 degrees Celsius, providing a natural advantage for using cold air to deploy energy-saving and low-carbon green computing power.
"We have developed air-cooling technology and continuously optimized air-conditioning operation strategies and airflow organization. We can save 383,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and save 1.44 million yuan in electricity bills per year," said He Zonghui (何宗辉), head of the engineering construction management of the China Mobile (中国移动) Zhongwei Data Center Phase II project.
In addition to the "throttling" wind, there is also the "open source" light. Standing on the southern edge of the Tengger Desert (腾格里沙漠), looking out, more than one million photovoltaic panels are connected end to end, extending with the undulations of the sand dunes, "dyeing" the desert into an indigo ocean. Zhongwei (中卫) has more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, making it uniquely endowed for developing solar power generation.
"In recent years, Zhongwei (中卫) has built and operated a large-scale desert photovoltaic base. The city's total installed capacity of new energy has exceeded 12.55 million kilowatts, and the proportion of new energy in annual power generation has reached 56%, which can provide sufficient green energy support for the development of computing power," said Yin Xuenong (殷学农), head of the Power Dispatching Center of the State Grid Zhongwei Power Supply Company (国网中卫供电公司).
"Electricity costs account for 50%-70% of the total operating costs of data centers. In the Western Cloud Base, new energy is supplied locally, and enterprises only need to pay 0.36 yuan per kilowatt-hour of electricity. The low electricity price is an important reason for attracting us to settle here," said Zhang Anwei (张安伟). Electricity is the "blood" of data centers. Increasing the proportion of new energy installed capacity and developing green data centers will also guarantee the development of the computing power industry.
As he was speaking, Zhang Anwei (张安伟) welcomed another group of merchants, "**供不应求** (gōng bù yìng qiú - "supply falls short of demand," demand exceeds supply; a seller's market)," and "there are not enough cabinets." In the spring breeze and under the scorching sun, the Tengger Desert (腾格里沙漠) is "**绿里生金** (lǜ lǐ shēng jīn - "green turns into gold," turning environmental advantages into economic benefits).
Introducing Databases to the Plateau
By Xu Yurao (徐驭尧), reporter of this newspaper
In the suburbs of Lhasa (拉萨), a huge Tibetan-style building is located among the mountains—this is the data center operated by Tibet Ningsuan Technology Group Co., Ltd. (西藏宁算科技集团有限公司), with a total scale of 140,000 cabinets.
There are no roaring cooling air conditioners in the data center's computer room, but it is still cool. What is the secret?
"Data centers are 'big households' of heat, and the energy of many data centers is consumed by cooling facilities such as air conditioners. In Tibet (西藏), the 'dry air energy' with plateau characteristics can be used to reduce the temperature of the computer room and achieve energy saving and emission reduction," Tao Changjun (陶昌军), Vice President of Ningsuan Technology (宁算科技), told reporters, "Compared with plateau areas such as Yunnan (云南) and Guizhou (贵州), the air here is drier; compared with other arid areas, the annual average temperature here is lower."
The air wet-bulb temperature is a standard for measuring "dry air energy," which refers to the lowest temperature that can be reached only by evaporating water. In Lhasa (拉萨), the outdoor air wet-bulb temperature in summer is much lower than in other regions.
"In layman's terms, using 'dry air energy' is to use evaporation as much as possible to cause cooling, and to form a pressure difference through the temperature difference, and finally achieve ventilation," Tao Changjun (陶昌军) introduced. According to this principle, the company designed a system to naturally ventilate the data center and quickly take the heat away from the room.
Overall, the application of this technology expands the range of natural cooling of the data center, and the energy-saving effect is significant. It not only ensures the stable operation of the data center but also reduces the overall energy consumption by about 30%.
The principle is simple, but it is not easy to truly implement it. The data center needs a stable temperature, which requires precise control of the evaporation rate of water in the system, the temperature difference in the data center, and the resulting air volume to ensure that there are no large fluctuations due to weather changes.
To this end, Ningsuan Technology (宁算科技) and Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology (西安工程大学) designed a set of heat-matching algorithms. By improving the airflow design and the circulation design of water evaporation, the heat utilization efficiency of the system is maximized, ensuring that the temperature of the data center is stable in all seasons.
The construction of the unit also faces challenges. Tao Changjun (陶昌军) remembers that the earliest units were designed and manufactured in other provinces and then transported to Lhasa (拉萨). At first, they could operate normally, but soon they kept reporting errors.
Why did such a problem occur with a very mature manufacturer?
After careful research, they found the problem—it turned out that although the equipment had been improved and designed according to the water, heat, and low-pressure conditions of the plateau, some of the unique climatic conditions of the plateau were still not taken into account.
"The strong ultraviolet rays on the plateau cause the equipment materials to age quickly, which is a great threat to systems that require precise control," Tao Changjun (陶昌军) said with emotion.
The technical experts launched a new round of technical research. By improving the equipment operation mode and adopting synthetic fiber composite polymer fillers and other means, the stability and safety of the equipment operating on the plateau have been effectively improved.
In addition to calculating the economic account, it is more important to calculate the ecological account when building a data center on the plateau. Where does the exhausted hot air go? Will it affect the surrounding ecological environment? To address these issues, the data center chose to recycle heat.
Next to the data center, a huge greenhouse is like spring all year round. The heat that heats the greenhouse is the recycled heat. The greenhouse can be used to raise warm-water fish and grow agricultural crops.
"Driven by innovative technologies, Tibet's (西藏) resource advantages can be effectively transformed into commercial advantages, and the data center is expected to achieve 'selling carbon' and 'selling heat' in the future," said Jiang Ning (蒋宁), President of Ningsuan Technology (宁算科技).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉
Computing power, as a new quality productive force in the era of the digital economy, is a new engine for promoting high-quality economic development.
As the physical carrier of computing power, data centers receive, process, store, and forward data through thousands of servers. They are not only an important infrastructure to support the development of new quality productive forces, but also one of the areas with rapid growth in energy consumption.
Since the "14th Five-Year Plan," the average annual growth rate of electricity consumption for computing facilities nationwide has exceeded 10%. With the explosive growth in demand for artificial intelligence computing power, the energy consumption of pre-computing facilities is expected to continue to maintain rapid growth.
Currently, computing power and electricity are forming a mutually supportive and coordinated development trend. The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposes to "coordinate the layout and orderly construction of computing facilities, promote the large-scale, intensive, green, and inclusive development of computing resources" and "promote the coordinated layout of green electricity and computing power."
Local practices are advancing in depth—
Eastern regions such as Shanghai (上海) are actively exploring new models of direct supply of green electricity resources such as offshore wind power to data centers; Qinghai (青海) gives full play to its climate advantages and uses its abundant clean energy resources to build "zero-carbon data centers"; Zhangjiakou (张家口), Hebei (河北) explores the "green electricity aggregation supply" model, aggregating and managing wind and solar power plants located about 150 kilometers away from the computing center and distributed in three counties, to achieve local power supply and consumption at the prefecture and city level...
Policy measures provide strong support—
Relevant departments have successively issued policy documents such as the "Implementation Opinions on Deeply Implementing the 'East Data West Computing' Project and Accelerating the Construction of a National Integrated Computing Power Network," the "Special Action Plan for Green and Low-Carbon Development of Data Centers," and the "Action Plan for Accelerating the Construction of a New Power System (2024-2027)," proposing policy measures such as innovating the computing power and electricity coordination mechanism and improving the utilization level of renewable energy. This year's "Government Work Report" also clearly stated that "new infrastructure projects such as ultra-large-scale intelligent computing clusters and computing-electricity coordination will be implemented."
Faced with the rapid growth in electricity consumption brought about by the development of computing power, promoting the green and low-carbon development of data centers in accordance with local conditions and supporting green computing power with green electricity has become a key measure.
"Laying out and constructing data centers in accordance with local conditions can not only improve the operating efficiency of data centers, but also help achieve the optimization of local economic development and resource utilization," said Tian Lei (田磊), Deputy Director of the Energy Strategy Center of the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委). Taking the "East Data West Computing" project as an example, by promoting the concentration of data centers in the western regions of China (中国) with abundant green energy, favorable conditions have been created for the large-scale use of wind, solar, and other green electricity by data centers.
Liu Liehong (刘烈宏), Director of the National Data Administration (国家数据局), stated that the integration of computing power and green electricity will be coordinated, and new power systems such as "source-grid-load-storage" integration, microgrids, and direct green electricity supply will be explored to promote the construction of clean energy computing centers and transform from "watts" to "bits" to achieve the transformation of green energy to green computing power.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 孟祥夫 刘晓宇
The eight large characters "Act Immediately, Grasp Solidly and Implement" stand atop the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Government Service Center in Fujian (福建) Province, shining brightly in the sunlight.
"We must vigorously promote the work spirit of 'act immediately'," "'Act immediately' plus 'grasp solidly and implement' allows us to effectively change our work style, implement our work, and create a new situation"... In the early 1990s, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, deployed and promoted the construction of government efficiency, directly addressing the accumulated malpractices in work style. Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) personally took the lead, setting a brilliant example for the vast number of party members and cadres.
More than thirty years have passed, and the spirit of hard work remains fresh. "Act immediately, grasp solidly and implement" has been carried forward and developed, keeping pace with the times in upholding integrity and innovation, and inspiring the vast number of party members and cadres to establish a correct view of performance, always working in a practical manner and striving for the first place.
The efficiency revolution is a never-ending self-revolution.
At 9 a.m., Lin Wanqing (林婉清), a citizen of Fuzhou (福州), came to the Municipal Government Service Center to handle the transfer of a second-hand house. After handing a stack of materials into the comprehensive window, the matter was completed in a few minutes. Lin Wanqing (林婉清) happily pressed the "service satisfaction" button.
Working in one building reduces the number of trips for the masses. All approval matters are gathered here, and the masses can handle all matters by entering one door.
All of this began with an important decision in the early 1990s. At that time, the problems of "difficulty in handling affairs, slow handling of affairs, and complicated handling of affairs" were widely criticized by society. Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) decisively made the decision to advocate the implementation of "one building office" for investment project approvals, concentrating the office windows of multiple departments together, so that enterprises and the masses "do not have to run all over the city to handle affairs." This pioneered the nation's centralized administrative approval.
"That was a self-revolution with the blade facing inward," said the relevant person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Administrative Service Center Management Committee. "Secretary Xi (习) said at the time, 'We have many things to do, and we need to provide a good soft environment for reform and opening up. This requires advocating a spirit of full load, opposing procrastination and buck-passing, and improving efficiency, so that today's affairs are completed today.' We always keep this sentence in mind."
To win people's hearts and seek development, a good work style is the key. From "one building office" to "one window for all," to today's "one network for all," this self-revolution has never stopped, and the efficiency of government offices has been continuously improved. Today, Fuzhou (福州) has written "act immediately, grasp solidly and implement" into the administrative service regulations. The Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Government Service Center has more than 60 administrative units stationed, handling more than 2,000 approval items, and many high-frequency items are being optimized and upgraded from "at most one trip" to "no trip required."
"In the past, the masses revolved around the departments, but now the data revolves around the masses," said Zhang Zeya (张泽雅), a staff member of the Approval Department of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Administrative Service Center Management Committee. In recent years, Fuzhou (福州) has innovatively launched "efficiently handle one matter 1+N," supporting enterprises and the masses to flexibly combine the main matter with multiple related matters to achieve "one application, one window acceptance, parallel approval, and integrated completion." At present, Fuzhou (福州) has launched 50 sets of "one matter" service scenarios, with a material simplification rate of 68.1% and an approval time reduction of 63.9%.
Walking through the land of Fujian (八闽大地), government service centers and convenient service halls have become warm landscapes, and "at most one trip" and "no trip required" are becoming a reality from promises.
Keeping one's word is the best business environment.
A long whistle sounded, and a freighter full of Indonesian coffee and palm oil slowly berthed at Yuanhong (元洪) Wharf in Fuqing (福清) City.
"More than 30 years ago, this was still a tidal flat," said Zhong Jiangwei (钟江伟), Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Yuanhong (元洪) Functional Zone of Fuzhou (福州) New Area, standing on the viewing platform of the Yuanhong (元洪) Investment Zone Planning Exhibition Hall. "In 1991, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Party Committee, led a delegation to visit Indonesia (印度尼西亚) and mobilized overseas Chinese leaders to return to their hometown to invest. Since then, on the coast of Fuqing (福清) Bay, 'a tidal flat' has gradually transformed into an international industrial park."
It was that blueprint that led to the birth of the nation's first Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Development Zone - Yuanhong (元洪) Investment Zone in 1992.
However, as Fuzhou's (福州) exchanges with domestic and foreign cities increased, the infrastructure gradually could not keep up. At that time, the state had no plans to build an airport in Fuzhou (福州), so Fuzhou (福州) decided to raise funds on its own and meet the difficulties: cadres and the masses raised some money, overseas Chinese donated some, the finance department strived for some, and the state subsidized some. After years of construction, ChangLe (长乐) International Airport officially opened in 1997. Since then, in order to adapt to the needs of expanding opening up, Fuzhou (福州) has comprehensively promoted the construction of a number of major infrastructure projects such as deep-water wharves, expressways, and urban expressways.
With the hardware facilities keeping up, the investment promotion efforts have increased, but many foreign businessmen are still watching. What's the problem?
"If you don't say it, then it's over, but if you say it, you have to ask about it to the end," "Since you thought of this, proposed this, you have to accomplish this, and accomplish this well"... Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) insight into the business environment that year gave the answer: not only must we "act immediately," but also "grasp solidly and implement," and we must keep our promises to enterprises.
"One building office" and "one-stop service" have been promoted, and models such as "one window acceptance, integrated service" have been continuously innovated... A number of enterprises such as Top Victory (冠捷集团) and Southeast Motor (东南汽车) have settled in Fuzhou (福州), and Fuzhou (福州) Free Trade Zone and Fuqing (福清) Rongqiao (融侨) Economic and Technological Development Zone have rapidly risen.
Today, from the banks of the Minjiang (闽江) River to the foot of Wuyi (武夷) Mountain, from the special zone window to the old revolutionary base areas, the work style of "act immediately, grasp solidly and implement" has become a golden brand for the business environment in Fujian (福建).
In the central control room of Fujian Changde (福建长德) Protein Technology Co., Ltd., a huge screen shows the data flow of the entire chain from the Indonesian (印尼) plantation to the Fuzhou (福州) production line. Palm kernels from Sumatra (苏门答腊岛) are refined here into high-end plant protein products and sold to the world.
"From project signing to production, the 'park service team' is stationed throughout the process, and any problem is 'acted on immediately and handled well'," said Zhang Jingfang (张靖芳), executive director of the company, "This attitude of keeping one's word, this atmosphere of grasping solidly and implementing, is the reason why we chose here."
Grasping work style is valuable in being serious.
At 8 p.m., the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Government Efficiency Construction Leading Group Office is still brightly lit. The huge "battle map" on the wall showing the progress of key projects is densely marked with the latest progress of key projects in the city. Among them, some projects have been marked with emphasis - these are the "top priorities" of the current supervision task.
"The core of efficiency construction is 'efficiency', and the key is 'ability'," said the person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office, while checking the "battle map" and using the computer to open the "Efficiency Fujian (效能福建)" platform. The interface immediately switched to the project details of the second phase expansion project of Fuzhou Changle (福州长乐) International Airport. "This is one of the major projects that we have been focusing on supervising recently. After the on-site coordination and promotion by the efficiency supervision team and the front-line supervision and assistance, valuable time has been won for the project to be completed and put into use in June 2026."
"'Act immediately' The key is to do a good job in supervision and inspection, and to 'look back'," Xi Jinping (习近平) proposed "act immediately" while serving as Secretary of the Fuzhou (福州) Municipal Party Committee, while improving the supervision mechanism and building a normal mechanism to ensure that party members and cadres do their work in a practical manner and achieve results. Since then, many handling mechanisms focusing on "act immediately" such as the "first question responsibility system," "time-limited settlement system," and "front-line supervision and assistance" have been continuously launched and adhered to until now.
Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) requirements that year have become an important work guideline for the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office. From the early open and unannounced visits and special inspections to today's "Internet + supervision" and big data precise monitoring, the means are iterating, but the "problem-oriented, serious and hard-hitting, and grasping to the end" remains unchanged.
"Secretary Xi (习) said, 'Grasping without tightening is equal to not grasping; grasping without being practical is equal to grasping in vain'," said the person in charge of the Fuzhou (福州) Efficiency Office, emphasizing that grasping work style construction is valuable in being serious. The local area has established a closed loop of the entire process of efficiency supervision of "discovering problems - precise assignment - time-limited rectification - follow-up supervision - result feedback - evaluation and effectiveness." Among them, since 2025, through the use of the "front-line supervision and assistance" mechanism, more than 120 difficult problems such as land approval, fund allocation, and element guarantee have been coordinated and resolved by promoting relevant departments and units to take responsibility.
When the work style is correct, the people's hearts are smooth, and when the work style is good, the cause is prosperous. The correct view of performance is not in slogans, but in the practical things that have been accomplished. Today, Fuzhou (福州) is carrying out in-depth activities of "deep learning to compete for excellence, daring to be the first, and striving for practical results," and continuously promoting the "striving for the first" action. "Act immediately, grasp solidly and implement" is constantly internalized into the conscious action of the vast number of party members and cadres, accumulating surging power for promoting high-quality economic and social development.
Return to TopThe National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) are important windows for the world to "understand China." During this year's National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协), the National People's Congress (全国人大) approved the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要), which proposes 20 major indicators in 5 aspects, deploys a number of major strategic tasks in 16 aspects, and determines 109 major projects, drawing a blueprint for China's development in the next 5 years, which has aroused widespread concern in international public opinion. Many foreign media reports said that the National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) conveyed confidence, stability, unity and hope to the world, and looking forward to the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要), China will continue to inject momentum into global development and prosperity with the stability and certainty of its own high-quality development.
"Meeting the people's growing needs for a better life"
"Economic growth of 4.5%-5%, and strive for better results in actual work" - Foreign media analysis pointed out that the goals set by China are positive and pragmatic, with both realistic considerations and solid confidence.
Pakistan's The News said that the Government Work Report (政府工作报告) set the economic growth target for 2026 at 4.5%-5%, reflecting that China values the health of the economic structure more than simply pursuing growth.
"This year's National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) highlighted China's adherence to the concept of sustainable development." South Africa's Mail & Guardian website said that China's economy is quality-oriented, focusing on innovation and high-tech development.
Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报) said that many topics at the National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) focused on the lives of ordinary people, conveying an important message: China's national governance aims to allow the general public to truly feel the fruits of development.
Bulgaria's Tribune said: "The goal of the Chinese government's administration is to meet the people's growing needs for a better life. China's economy has maintained stable growth, which is the result of the Chinese people's unity and joint efforts under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党)."
Spain's EFE news agency said: "'The 15th Five-Year Plan' (十五五规划纲要) is an important policy guideline for promoting China's economic and social development in the next 5 years."
Angola's Jornal de Angola (国家报) said that "The 15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) releases signals of stabilizing the macro economy and continuing to deepen reforms, and China will promote the formation of more economic development models dominated by domestic demand, driven by consumption, and endogenous growth.
Brazil's Fórum magazine said that China demonstrates a stable path forward by formulating long-term development plans and promoting innovation-driven development.
"Through the National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协), China has demonstrated its ability to maintain policy continuity and stability." Argentina's Clarín said that the meeting focused on important topics such as economic growth, technological innovation and national development planning, and promoted the country's long-term development through relevant policy arrangements.
"Further promote global innovation trends"
"Embodied intelligence," "brain-computer interface," "low-altitude economy," "high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology"... From this year's Government Work Report (政府工作报告) to the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要), a series of innovative hot words have aroused great attention from international public opinion.
Pakistan's Pakistan Today website said that "The 15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) demonstrates China's ambition to become an important global innovation "laboratory."
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (孟加拉国通讯社) said that China has listed accelerating high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology as one of its important tasks, focusing on the innovative development of cutting-edge technology fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, and new energy. "China's artificial intelligence companies are rapidly rising, and start-ups are making amazing explorations around the world, further promoting global innovation trends."
Germany's Focus magazine website said that in "The 15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要), the term "artificial intelligence" appeared 30 times, indicating that China will focus on promoting high-quality development with new quality productive forces.
Zimbabwe's The Herald said that "The 15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) proposes to achieve the goal of "significantly improving the level of self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology." Zimbabwe has released an artificial intelligence development policy, and the technological development path established in China's latest five-year plan has reference significance. The speed and scale of China's technological application have set a benchmark for developing countries hoping to achieve digital leapfrog development.
"Injecting important certainty and confidence into global governance"
China is achieving 5-year and even longer-term development plans step by step, providing a "list of opportunities" for the world.
Indonesia's Kompas believes that China will further promote the service of scientific and technological innovation achievements to the real economy and drive economic growth through innovation, which will have a positive impact on international economic and technological development.
Kazakhstan Today News Agency (今日哈萨克斯坦通讯社) said that China's continued promotion of high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" (一带一路), deepening the alignment of development strategies, and improving the layout of a three-dimensional interconnected network will help improve the level of pragmatic cooperation between Central Asia and China, and open more windows of opportunity for the Central Asian region.
Kenya's Capital FM website said that China's forward-looking long-term development plan provides support for the stability of the world economy. By consolidating its domestic foundation, China has enhanced its ability to make constructive contributions to global economic stability.
Ghana News Agency published an article saying that China's stable development injects valuable certainty into a turbulent world, and this certainty stems from China's effective planning system - China has successfully implemented 14 five-year plans (plans). During the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) period, China's path to modernization will enter a new stage. China continues to provide opportunities for global cooperation and development with its responsibility to practice true multilateralism and promote high-level opening to the outside world.
Nigeria's The Nation website said that the National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) not only set the tone for China's development, but also bring major development opportunities to Africa. China will fully implement zero tariffs on 100% of tariff items for Africa starting in May. African countries can use China's policy dividends to promote the transformation of their industrial structure and export diversification, and accelerate the process of industrialization.
"China represents certainty, and represents adherence to free trade and open cooperation." Uruguay's El Observador website said that in the past 5 years, China's average annual economic growth rate reached 5.4%, and its contribution to global economic growth remained at about 30%. "In an increasingly turbulent international situation, China injects important certainty and confidence into global governance with its clear position, pragmatic solutions and stable predictability."
(Reported on March 21 from Beijing (北京), Berlin (柏林), Madrid (马德里), Nairobi (内罗毕), Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢), and Astana (阿斯塔纳) by reporters Li Yan (李琰), Liu Zhonghua (刘仲华), Yan Huan (颜欢), Huang Weixin (黄炜鑫), Chen Haiqi (陈海琪), and Li Qiang (李强). Mike Oduro, Peng Xiangshan (彭向善), and Hannan Jilani also contributed to this article.)
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 21st. He Lifeng (何立峰), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, met with the heads of well-known multinational corporations such as HSBC, UBS, Louis Dreyfus Company, Siemens Healthineers, Schneider Electric, Rio Tinto, Prudential, EQT, Standard Chartered, Herbert Smith Freehills, and TCP Group at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse (钓鱼台国宾馆) on the evening of the 21st.
He Lifeng (何立峰) stated that China's economy is currently making steady progress and moving towards new and better directions. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, China will unswervingly expand high-level opening up to the outside world and promote high-quality development, which will create broader market opportunities for multinational corporations. He welcomed multinational corporations to increase their investment in China and continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
The heads of the multinational corporations stated that they are full of confidence in the Chinese economy and are willing to continue to deeply cultivate the Chinese market and continuously expand their investment in China.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 许立群
From the ancient city walls of Xi'an (西安) to the innovation workshops of Shenzhen (深圳), from the financial center of Shanghai (上海) to the trade hub of Guangzhou (广州), British Chamber of Commerce in China President Peter Budd recently led a delegation of 35 British companies to China for a two-week inspection tour, successively visiting six cities including Xi'an (西安), Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), Guangzhou (广州), Shenzhen (深圳), and Hong Kong (香港). "This is a journey to rediscover China," said Peter Budd, unable to hide his excitement when mentioning the trip. Having traveled between China and the UK for many years, he has personally witnessed China's economic leap over the decades, and this time, he saw a different landscape.
Peter Budd told reporters that the modernity of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (西安咸阳国际机场), the well-developed highways leading to the city center, and the emerging new building complexes along the way, shattered the delegation members' traditional impression of western Chinese cities. During the trip to Xi'an (西安), the delegation visited the Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆) and the Taikoo Li Xi'an (西安太古里) project under construction. The former allowed British entrepreneurs to experience the profoundness of China's millennium-old civilization up close, while the latter demonstrated how modern commerce can coexist harmoniously with historical and cultural landmarks.
The British companies that made up this delegation came from various fields such as financial services, professional services, consumer goods, education technology, and green energy. When asked if any companies had reached cooperation intentions during this trip, Peter Budd humorously said, "Business cooperation is like falling in love, it is difficult to get engaged immediately after the first meeting. But this visit made many 'heart-racing' moments possible." He revealed that at least a dozen projects have entered the stage of in-depth negotiations, "I have noticed that the international thinking of Chinese companies is changing, and they hope to establish long-term partnerships with British institutions, such as establishing joint ventures in the UK, jointly building research and development centers, and sharing market channels."
Peter Budd said that the British Chamber of Commerce in China specifically conducted a study comparing China's "15th Five-Year Plan" outline with the UK's modern industrial strategy, "The result is surprising - the overlap between the two exceeds 50%." He explained, "The UK's traditional advantages in professional services, creative industries, sports, and engineering fields coincide with China's key development directions."
Peter Budd particularly emphasized the consensus between the two countries in the field of green development: "Although the specific paths may be different, the goal of heading towards 'net-zero emissions' is completely consistent. China's manufacturing advantages in the field of new energy can complement the UK's experience in green finance, carbon trading mechanisms, and other aspects."
Peter Budd said: "Those British companies that have achieved long-term success in the Chinese market have one thing in common - they do not regard China as a place for short-term profit, but are willing to go through economic cycles and grow together with the Chinese market." He said that some British companies in China have increased their investment in digital transformation and localized research and development, "Because they understand that the size and potential of the Chinese market are worth long-term investment."
"If you want to truly understand China, you can't just read articles or reports, you must go to China, walk into various cities, and communicate with the people there." Peter Budd emphasized, "Since its establishment, the British Chamber of Commerce in China has been an important bridge for promoting economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Important mechanisms such as the China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue and Strategic Dialogue have been restarted. The channels of communication between the two sides are smoother, and the foundation for cooperation is more solid." Peter Budd is full of confidence for the future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 尚凯元
Nestled in the foothills of the French Alps, the Rossignol Group (卢西诺集团) headquarters meticulously crafts each ski through over 50 precision steps. The equipment used by numerous top athletes at the recent Milan Winter Olympics originated here. In recent years, as China's ice and snow market has surged to become the world's most dynamic growth pole, Rossignol (卢西诺) has continuously discovered new opportunities from the booming development of China's ice and snow industry.
Nearly 20 years ago, Rossignol (卢西诺) became connected with China, beginning to sell skiing equipment products there. In 2019, Rossignol (卢西诺) officially opened specialized stores in Shanghai (上海) and Beijing (北京), accelerating its entry into the Chinese market. "Establishing an overseas branch in China is of great significance to Rossignol's (卢西诺) globalization strategy," Simon Pompilio (西蒙·庞皮利奥), head of Rossignol (卢西诺) China, told this reporter.
"Major international events are a driving force for the popularization of ice and snow sports," said Gabriel Authier (加布里埃尔·奥蒂耶), Chief Marketing Officer of the Rossignol Group (卢西诺集团). With China's successful hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会), Rossignol (卢西诺), along with the entire industry, systematically adjusted its resource allocation to China—expanding the local team, increasing cooperation with athletes, clubs, and ski resorts, and actively participating in the construction of China's ice and snow ecosystem.
"The Chinese ice and snow market is currently one of the fastest-growing markets in the world in terms of participation," Authier (奥蒂耶) said. "In China, ice and snow sports are regarded as an emerging healthy lifestyle, closely related to outdoor activities and social experiences. This will also be a long-term driving force for the continued development of ice and snow sports in China."
China not only provides a vast market for French ice and snow enterprises, but Chinese manufacturing and Chinese experience are also empowering the local ice and snow industry. In Rossignol's (卢西诺) "soft goods" business, such as ski suits and backpacks, about half are supplied by the Chinese manufacturing system. Antoine Rigot (安托万·里戈), the owner of a ski equipment store in France, introduced that about 80% of the goods in his store are "Made in China," including helmets, gloves, ski suits, backpacks, goggles, and ski poles. "Made in China can now meet the requirements of all levels of products," Rigot (里戈) said.
Poma Group (波马集团), a global cable car manufacturer, has been operating in China for about 40 years. Cable cars for tourist attractions have long been its main business. In recent years, its ski resort infrastructure business in China has grown rapidly. In Chongli District (崇礼区), Zhangjiakou (张家口), Poma (波马) participated in the construction of ropeway cable cars for multiple ski resorts, and some equipment was used for the Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会) competition and training venues. "The most recent ski resort project we participated in was Xiling Snow Mountain (西岭雪山) in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川). China's skiing infrastructure has entered a stage of overall maturity," Edouard Dovillaire (爱德华·多维莱尔), International Business Director of Poma (波马), told reporters.
Dovillaire (多维莱尔) pointed out that compared with traditional European mountain resorts, Chinese ski resorts emphasize "integrated resorts" and "integrated experiences," with hotels, catering, and commercial facilities highly integrated to form a closed or semi-closed overall operating system, which is especially suitable for the severe winter climate conditions in northern regions. In addition, night skiing has become an important part of many ski resorts, and the operating hours of ski resorts are generally extended. The concept of four-season operation is also accelerating, such as Thaiwoo (太舞) and Fulong (富龙) ski resorts in Zhangjiakou (张家口) continuing to open in the summer, developing mountain sightseeing and leisure projects, and attracting customers from surrounding cities with the convenient transportation brought by the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-speed Railway (京张高铁), effectively enhancing the year-round operating capacity and economic sustainability of the ski resorts. "The Chinese ski market is gradually forming a development model with its own characteristics," Dovillaire (多维莱尔) said. This demonstrates the continuous innovation of China's ice and snow industry in its development path and will also provide new market opportunities for French ice and snow enterprises.
Return to TopBy: 杨 欣
This year, March 22nd marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kuwait. Having withstood the test of international vicissitudes for more than half a century, the development of China-Kuwait relations embodies the common aspirations of both sides for sincere cooperation, and deepening China-Kuwait friendship and cooperation has become a strategic choice for both countries.
China's friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with Kuwait have created several "firsts." Kuwait was the first Gulf Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the first Middle Eastern country to sign a cooperation document with China on jointly building the "Belt and Road," and China is Kuwait's largest trading partner... Since the new era, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, China-Kuwait relations are moving steadily and far along the right direction. In 2018, the two countries established a strategic partnership. In December 2022 and September 2023, President Xi Jinping (习近平) met twice with then-Kuwaiti Crown Prince Mishal (米沙勒), reaching important consensus on deepening the China-Kuwait strategic partnership and drawing a new blueprint for the future development of bilateral relations.
Over the past 55 years, China and Kuwait have always adhered to their original aspirations in establishing diplomatic relations. No matter how the international situation changes, the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, becoming a model of friendly coexistence between large and small countries. China and Kuwait understand and support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China firmly supports Kuwait in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. Kuwait has always adhered to the one-China principle, and Emir Mishal (米沙勒) was the first head of state of the Gulf Cooperation Council (海合会) to express support for the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping (习近平). This is another vivid portrayal of the political mutual trust between the two countries.
Over the past 55 years, China and Kuwait have continuously deepened pragmatic cooperation. The volume of bilateral trade between China and Kuwait has increased from US$0.22 billion in the year of establishment of diplomatic relations to US$18.58 billion in 2025, an increase of more than 800 times. Kuwait was the first Arab country to provide China with government concessional loans and the country with the largest amount, and China is the second largest source of investment for Kuwait. In recent years, the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative and Kuwait's "2035 National Vision" have been continuously and deeply integrated, opening up broader space for cooperation between the two countries. Chinese companies actively participate in Kuwait's infrastructure construction, and large-scale projects represented by the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port (大穆巴拉克港) have made positive contributions to Kuwait's economic and social development. The cooperation potential between China and Kuwait in industrial upgrading, green development, and the digital economy is constantly being released, and "China-made" products such as automobiles, communications equipment, and robots are favored by Kuwaiti consumers. China-Kuwait pragmatic cooperation is striding forward towards higher quality and more sustainable development.
Over the past 55 years, China and Kuwait have continued to consolidate the public opinion foundation of their relationship. The key to sound relations between states lies in the affinity between their peoples, and increasingly frequent cultural exchanges have made the tree of China-Kuwait friendship flourish. In 2025, the first Chinese Cultural Center in the Gulf region was officially put into operation in Kuwait, providing an important platform for promoting China-Kuwait cultural exchanges. The Chinese medical team has been rooted in Kuwait for 50 years and is currently the only Chinese foreign aid medical team in the Gulf Arab countries, providing services to approximately 1 million local people. Since China implemented a unilateral visa-free policy for Kuwaiti citizens holding ordinary passports in June 2025, more and more Kuwaiti friends have come to China for sightseeing, study, and business, personally experiencing China's development and becoming envoys for spreading friendship between the two countries, effectively promoting the mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Kuwait.
This year is the first year of China's "15th Five-Year Plan," and Kuwait's "2035 National Vision" construction has also entered a critical period. The second China-Arab States Summit and the second China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit will be held in China, setting longer-term goals, making richer plans, and taking more concrete measures for the development of China-Arab and China-Gulf relations. Standing at a new historical starting point, China will continue to work hand in hand with Kuwait to make more contributions to building a higher-level China-Arab community with a shared future.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 时元皓
Red lanterns hung high, and themed stalls featuring the Chinese zodiac culture were lined up in a row. Local people dressed in Hanfu and held round fans, posing for photos... Recently, the 5th Paraíba State Chinese Culture Festival was held in João Pessoa (若昂佩索阿), the capital of Paraíba State (帕拉伊巴州) in northeastern Brazil. Over the years, Paraíba State (帕拉伊巴州) has continuously held the Chinese Culture Festival, making it a unique annual event in the area.
"China has the twelve zodiac signs, with each cycle lasting 12 years. This year is the Year of the Horse, so everyone can calculate their own zodiac sign." At a zodiac culture exhibition stand, Airina (艾琳娜) from the Federal University of Paraíba (帕拉伊巴联邦大学) was volunteering to introduce zodiac knowledge to visitors. "Brazil and China continue to deepen cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, promoting mutual understanding and benefiting both sides," said Airina (艾琳娜).
During the two-day event, dozens of cultural booths launched a variety of Chinese cultural experience courses in different time slots, including calligraphy, martial arts, paper cutting, archaeology, rubbing, and lacquer fan making, attracting many viewers to participate. Adriana (阿德里亚娜), a Chinese language enthusiast who lingered in front of several booths, told reporters: "Learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture allows me to continuously improve my cross-cultural literacy and also gives me the opportunity to become a bridge connecting the two cultures."
"Culture brings us closely together." Maria Marinho (玛丽·马里尼奥), President of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Paraíba (帕拉伊巴联邦教育、科学与技术学院), said that Chinese culture has a long history and continues to radiate new vitality. Cultural connections can enhance understanding, and Brazil continues to draw wisdom and strength from China's development.
"The relationship between Brazil and China is getting closer, and many Brazilians are becoming more and more interested in Chinese culture." Raimundo Furtado (雷蒙多·富尔塔多), the Brazilian Dean of the Confucius Institute at the Federal University of Ceará (巴西塞阿拉联邦大学孔子学院), told reporters that Chinese products are very popular in Brazil, and Chinese companies have brought more employment opportunities to Brazil. Brazil has set off a Chinese language learning craze and a Chinese culture craze, and more Brazilians hope to learn more about China.
"This cultural festival marks the first event of the 'China-Brazil Culture Year' in Northeast Brazil in 2026." Lan Heping (兰和平), Chinese Consul General in Recife (累西腓), said that he believes that with the continuous advancement of China's high-quality development and the continuous expansion of high-level opening up, the level of exchanges and cooperation between China and Brazil in various fields will continue to improve, benefiting the people of both countries more.
"The Paraíba State (帕拉伊巴州) Chinese Culture Festival is part of the cooperation between Brazil and China, and aims to make more people realize that Brazil and China can achieve common development through mutual respect and cooperation." Pedro Santos (佩德罗·桑托斯), Secretary of Culture of Paraíba State (帕拉伊巴州文化厅), said that Brazil-China cooperation is reflected in many fields such as economy, trade, education, and scientific research. The large single-dish radio telescope project recently cooperated by the two countries is located in Paraíba State (帕拉伊巴州). "We draw on China's experience to build supporting facilities around the project, turning scientific sites into tourism resources and local economic growth points. Thank you for the opportunities brought by China."
Return to TopThe Nairobi correspondent of this newspaper reported on March 21st (Reporter Huang Weixin (黄炜鑫)) The groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of the Naivasha-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (hereinafter referred to as the "NMSGR") project, undertaken by China Communications Construction Company (中交集团), was held in Narok County, Kenya, on the 19th.
As a key extension of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (蒙内铁路) and the first phase of the NMSGR, a landmark project of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative between China and Kenya, the second phase of the NMSGR starts from Naivasha, the terminal of the first phase of the NMSGR, and ends at Kisumu, the third largest city and an important transportation hub in Kenya, with a total length of 272.65 kilometers for the main line plus branch lines. The project will improve the East African railway network and boost Africa's interconnection and sustainable development.
According to China Communications Construction Company (中交集团), after the completion of the entire NMSGR section and the planned standard gauge railway in Uganda, the travel time from Nairobi (内罗毕), the capital of Kenya, to Kampala (坎帕拉), the capital of Uganda, will be reduced from approximately 14 hours to approximately 4 hours, and freight costs will be reduced by approximately 35%.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 窦瀚洋 杨颜菲 洪秋婷
The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes: "Strengthen the construction of rural spiritual civilization in the new era, promote the prosperity and development of rural culture, and implement the construction project of civilized rural customs."
In Xiashan Village (峡山村), Zhejiang (浙江) Province, young entrepreneurs use "folk song coffee" and fish lantern making to give the fishing village a strong artistic atmosphere; in Leijia Village (雷家村), Shiwu (石窝), Jiangxi (江西) Province, the rural art museum keeps villagers and tourists coming back for more; in Luoxing Village (罗行村), Guangdong (广东) Province, the village market has become popular by joining hands with artists to create art spaces... Culture and art are injecting a continuous impetus into promoting the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside and revitalizing the development vitality of the rural land.
——Editor
Xiashan Village (峡山村), Ninghai County (宁海县), Zhejiang (浙江)
Coffee with Folk Songs, Fish Lanterns into Cultural Creations
The fishing village of the past is now a "trendy" village. In Xiashan Village (峡山村), Qiangjiao Town (强蛟镇), Ninghai County (宁海县), Zhejiang (浙江) Province, people can not only feel the breath of the sea, but also immerse themselves in a strong artistic atmosphere.
In the "Folk Song Coffee" shop, Ma Zhen (马真), the post-90s owner, holds a guitar and sings original songs, while guests enjoy coffee in the music; in the nearby "Peninsula Shell Picking" fishing culture experience shop, the owner You Tingting (尤婷婷) leads tourists to make fish lanterns, and in the laughter, pieces of work take shape.
In 2019, Ninghai County (宁海县) began to explore the development path of "art revitalizing the countryside." Relying on the beautiful seaside scenery, Xiashan Village (峡山村) seized the opportunity to plan and set up a check-in route with an art theme. Ma Zhen (马真), who was working in another place at the time, learned of the news and was very optimistic about the development potential of his hometown, so he decided to return to his hometown to start a business.
After some research and investigation, Ma Zhen (马真) took a fancy to an idle container by the sea and calculated: "This place has a sea view when you open the window, and it is close to the check-in route. If you open a coffee shop, tourists should have a good experience in the store." The village also plans to create new consumer formats, and the two sides hit it off and transformed the container into a "village coffee shop."
Ma Zhen (马真) visited and studied, and in a seaside coffee shop in another place, he saw the store invite fishermen to share stories about going to sea, which was deeply inspired, so he set the business direction of his "village coffee shop" as "sea view + folk songs + local stories."
Ma Zhen (马真) visited the village's old fishermen, representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and other people to collect stories, and used his own musical creation expertise to create folk songs based on the past events of the fishing village. He also set up a small stage and sang folk songs for tourists accompanied by the sea breeze and waves.
Gradually, the "Folk Song Coffee" shop became popular, and some literary and art lovers in the town also joined in. The program on the small stage has also changed from one person's singing to a group of people's "seaside concert."
Coincidentally, You Tingting (尤婷婷), who used to work in cultural and creative sales in big cities, also decided to return to her hometown to open a cultural and creative store. The first thing she thought of was the fish lantern with a long history.
Aunt Wang (王阿姨) in the village has decades of experience in making fish lanterns. You Tingting (尤婷婷) asked her to be responsible for the cutting and decoration of the details of the patterns, carefully adjusted the curvature and density of the bamboo strips, and created vivid shapes such as carp leaping over the dragon gate. After the opening of the cultural and creative store, fish lanterns became a popular cultural souvenir among tourists, which also drove many villagers to increase their income.
"In order to better serve the return of young people to start businesses, the town and village levels have introduced 'rural entrepreneur' support policies to provide financial support and entrepreneurial guidance," said Hu Qing (胡卿), Secretary of the Party Committee of Qiangjiao Town (强蛟镇).
At present, Xiashan Village's (峡山村) "art + cultural tourism" entrepreneurial cluster has taken shape, with an annual tourist volume of more than 300,000 people and a comprehensive cultural tourism income of more than 60 million yuan. "In the past, we sold fish, but now we rely on art and creativity. The road of 'relying on the sea to eat the sea' must also keep pace with the times," said Ma Zhen (马真).
Leijia Village (雷家村), Shiwu (石窝), Anyi County (安义县), Jiangxi (江西)
Building an Art Museum to Cultivate a Sense of Pride
White walls and black tiles, a two-story building, a courtyard - the elegant Nanzhou Art Museum (南州美术馆) has become a landscape in Leijia Village (雷家村), Shiwu (石窝), Changbu Town (长埠镇), Anyi County (安义县), Jiangxi (江西) Province.
Villager Lei Junjun (雷军军) brought his children to the art museum to see the exhibition. "This painting is so beautiful!" The child exclaimed at a bamboo painting.
"This painting is from the hand of Mr. Huang Liang (黄亮). He is also from Anyi County (安义县)," Hu Haijin (胡海金), the 60-year-old head of the art museum, handed Lei Junjun (雷军军) a brochure and introduced that there are many calligraphy and painting works by local sages from Anyi County (安义县) in the exhibition.
Hu Haijin (胡海金), who has now retired, used to do business in other places and has a hobby of collecting works of art. In 2020, the Changbu Town (长埠镇) government approached Hu Haijin (胡海金), hoping to cooperate with him to build a rural art museum to make the village more culturally rich on the road to comprehensive rural revitalization.
"Before the age of 30, I had never been to an art museum." Hu Haijin (胡海金) has always had a wish to provide better cultural nourishment for the children in his hometown. Hu Haijin (胡海金) readily agreed to the town's proposal.
In September 2023, the Nanzhou Art Museum (南州美术馆) was built and opened in Leijia Village (雷家村), Shiwu (石窝). "Different from urban art museums, rural art museums are rooted in the countryside and must highlight local cultural characteristics so that villagers have a sense of identity and pride," Hu Haijin (胡海金) introduced that the exhibits in the museum include both the authentic calligraphy of Jiangxi (江西) champions and the works of local modern masters.
In addition to the permanent exhibition on the second floor, the art museum updates the special exhibition area on the first floor every three months to keep villagers and tourists coming back for more. To date, the art museum has attracted nearly 20,000 visitors.
Art is changing the countryside, and the small village is becoming more and more lively - local artists such as Lei Ziren (雷子人), a professor at the China Academy of Art, actively participate in academic lectures, exhibitions and other exchange activities, driving young painters to create in residence; Lei Jinsheng (雷金生), a post-90s villager, opened a "Half-Day Leisure Teahouse" in the village and launched calligraphy and painting themed tea parties; Hanfu experience halls and other young projects have also been introduced to operate...
"The art museum has driven the development of cultural tourism, allowing us to earn money at our doorstep," said Lei Yougen (雷有根), a villager who opened a cultural and creative store.
"The rural art museum is not only a stage for displaying cultural essence, but also a bridge connecting the past and the future, the city and the countryside, and art and life," said Chen Li (陈丽), the mayor of Changbu Town (长埠镇). In the next step, Changbu Town (长埠镇) plans to take the art museum as the core, connect surrounding resources, and cooperate with domestic art colleges to prepare for the construction of sketching bases and research centers to promote the deep integration of social aesthetic education and rural education.
Luoxing Village (罗行村), Foshan (佛山), Guangdong (广东)
Joining Hands with Artists, the Ancient Village Ushers in a New Trend
In the west of Luoxing Village (罗行村), Danzao Town (丹灶镇), Nanhai District (南海区), Foshan (佛山), Guangdong (广东) Province, the Nansha Creek (南沙涌), a tributary of the Beijiang River (北江), flows slowly. In the evening, oil painter Ni Jun (倪军) came to a large banyan tree by the river to enjoy the sunset. Here, he created the oil painting "Evening Glow of Luoxing (罗行晚照)."
Last year, Ni Jun (倪军) visited Luoxing Village (罗行村) for the first time and participated in the Luoxing Market Art Festival with a group of artists in the fields of fine arts, music, and drama. He borrowed an electric bicycle and wandered around the village, taking in the banyan trees, banana trees, Nansha Creek (南沙涌), field ridges, and village alleys. Ni Jun (倪军) admired the beautiful scenery while looking for inspiration.
Two days later, "Evening Glow of Luoxing (罗行晚照)" was completed. The blue sky, the charming sunset, and the clouds rolling and unfolding... The picture is realistic and romantic, fresh and beautiful.
In Luoxing Village (罗行村), what impressed Ni Jun (倪军) was the bamboo weaving works created by the artists. Luoxing Market (罗行墟) in Luoxing Village (罗行村) has a history of more than 300 years and was once famous for bamboo basket weaving. However, with the acceleration of urbanization, the population of the village has decreased, and Luoxing Market (罗行墟) has also declined.
In 2022, with the issuance of the "Opinions on Promoting Cultural Industry to Empower Rural Revitalization" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other departments, Nanhai District (南海区) became one of the first pilot districts and counties in the country for "cultural industry to empower rural revitalization." Subsequently, Nanhai District (南海区) and Danzao Town (丹灶镇) carried out hardware repairs and environmental improvements to Luoxing Market (罗行墟). "To activate rural vitality, we must find cultural elements with a high degree of consensus, carry out creative expression, and reshape people's emotional connection with the countryside," said He Minyi (何敏仪), Secretary of the Party Committee of Danzao Town (丹灶镇).
After the renovation, Luoxing Market (罗行墟) was upgraded to Luoxing Art Market (罗行艺术墟). Since October 2024, Luoxing Art Market (罗行艺术墟) has been open for regular operation, with weekend markets, monthly themed market days, and annual grand markets, attracting many tourists.
Walking through Luoxing Village (罗行村), you can see exquisite bamboo weaving decorations dotted on the streets, and the corners of the walls, small parks, and stairways have become spaces for creative expression. The abandoned granary displays the works created by artists locally, becoming an art exhibition hall. The once-silent houses, streets, and river embankments have been renovated and upgraded, becoming theaters, opera houses, and other cultural spaces. The popularity of the countryside is getting higher and higher, and businesses such as coffee shops, flower shops, and restaurants have also seized the opportunity to settle in.
In the 2024 national typical cases of rural cultural construction, "Luoxing Art Market (罗行艺术墟) builds an innovative situation in artistic villages" is prominently listed. "Luoxing Art Market (罗行艺术墟) is a vivid sample of Guangdong's (广东) '100 Counties, 1,000 Towns, and 10,000 Villages Project'," said Fang Huagang (方华刚), Standing Committee Member of the Nanhai District (南海区) Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department. "Villagers and artists work together to stimulate the development vitality of the countryside and further promote the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside."
(Our reporter Li Gang (李刚) participated in the writing)
This issue is coordinated by: Zhang Xueyan (张雪妍)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曾亦辰
In Jinping Town (锦屏镇), Chongxin County (崇信县), Pingliang City (平凉市), Gansu Province (甘肃省), cattle farmer Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) came to the cattle trough in the cave early in the morning, lightly stirring the feed in the trough with a mixing shovel, attracting a group of red cattle to come forward.
"Sister Zhu!" Ma Junfu (马俊福), an acquaintance who buys beef cattle, also came, "Your cattle are living comfortably in the cave." He said that the cattle have shiny coats and firm meat, and he plans to take 5 heads today.
"Okay, then it's settled!" Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) smiled, took the ledger, and wrote it down.
Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) said that her family's cattle can produce dozens of heads a year, and the county has introduced a subsidy policy, with a subsidy of 1,500 yuan for each red cattle breeding cow.
Why are these cattle raised so well? "Look at this wall." Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) tapped the thick loess cave wall, "It's warm in winter and cool in summer, the cattle don't suffer, they get sick less, and naturally produce good meat."
Cave cattle raising has low transformation costs, and the environment is also conducive to cattle growth. Seeing this advantage, Chongxin County (崇信县) has vigorously promoted cave cattle raising as an intensive development model since 2020. At present, Chongxin County (崇信县) has built 7 cave cattle raising demonstration belts, renovated more than 1,700 abandoned caves, and raised more than 5,000 red cattle in caves.
Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) touched the cow feeding in front of the trough: "Her belly is bulging, and she is about to give birth. The veterinarian came to the door a while ago and said that this pregnancy is very stable. The government encourages us to raise cattle in abandoned caves. If there is anything wrong with the cattle, we can make a phone call, and someone will be there soon." Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) also introduced that each cave is relatively independent, which also helps with epidemic prevention.
In Zhu Haiping's (朱海萍) yard, there are ration machines, mixing machines, silage machines, and baling machines. "Every year in September and October, we crush the straw, bale it for fermentation, and feed it to the cattle. The cow dung is then used for composting and fermentation, and used as fertilizer for the cornfields," said Zhu Haiping (朱海萍).
From the initial 5 heads to the current 200+ heads, Zhu Haiping's (朱海萍) breeding business is getting bigger and bigger. With the scale up, how can the capital chain keep up?
Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) pointed to the tag on the cow's ear: "The county has a 'Red Cattle Live Body Mortgage Loan'. By putting an ear tag on the cow, the information of each cow is connected to the Internet, and the bank can monitor the status of the cow in real time. Farmers like us who have land and experience can borrow 'live money' by relying on the cattle."
The "technology" in the breeding process is also becoming more and more intense. Zhu Haiping (朱海萍) said that the county's technical team is conducting an experiment on the effect of feeding soybean dregs to Pingliang (平凉) red cattle, "Soybean dregs that have been fermented are easier to absorb nutrients, which can reduce feed costs by a fraction. Once the experiment is successful, I plan to switch to this formula."
In Chongxin County (崇信县), the "cave +" model connects the complete chain of planting, breeding, processing, and tourism, radiating and driving more than 500 farmers to increase their income. The once idle loess caves are becoming "golden nests" for industrial development, bringing a prosperous and happy life.
(Xue Xijun (薛喜军) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBeijing, March 21st (Reported by Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿)) The Central Meteorological Observatory (中央气象台) predicts that there will be continuous rainy weather in southern China in late March. On March 21st, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) and the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) jointly issued an early warning for the risk of waterlogging disasters in farmland.
It is expected that from March 22nd to 26th, there will be moderate to heavy rain in eastern Jianghan, southwestern Jianghuai, western and northern Jiangnan, southeastern Southwest China, and northern Guangxi, with local heavy rain. The risk of waterlogging disasters in farmland is relatively high in eastern Guizhou, central Hunan, and central and northeastern Jiangxi. The risk of waterlogging disasters in farmland is high in central and southwestern Qiannan and Qian Southeast of Guizhou, western Huaihua and southeastern Xiangxi of Hunan, and eastern Yichun, eastern Yingtan and southern Shangrao of Jiangxi. Experts suggest that areas with excessive precipitation should do a good job in reservoir storage, strengthen the dredging of ditches and drainage to reduce waterlogging.
Return to TopAccording to a report from Beijing on March 21st in this newspaper (Reporter Lin Lili (林丽鹂)), the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) recently released the 2026 edition of the "Rules for the Administration of Special Equipment Use," which will take effect on May 1st.
The new version of the rules has four characteristics: Responsibilities are clearer, detailing the "Supervision and Management Regulations for Special Equipment User Units to Implement the Main Responsibility for Use Safety," unifying the position settings and allocation requirements for safety management personnel in special equipment user units, and achieving "clear division of powers and responsibilities, and responsibility to individuals" by clarifying the responsibilities of key positions such as safety directors and safety officers; Management is more in place, organically combining the risk control and hidden danger investigation and management mechanisms of special equipment user units to form a closed-loop management of daily control, weekly investigation, and monthly scheduling; Supervision is more precise, classifying and categorizing according to the scale, quantity, and risk characteristics of special equipment, and implementing precise policies; Services are more optimized, promoting online declaration and online verification, allowing data to run more errands and enterprises to run fewer errands, simplifying registration procedures, and improving processing efficiency.
Return to TopThis newspaper Fujian Nanping (福建南平) March 21st (Reporters Li Yanfei (厉衍飞) and Li Naiyan (李乃妍) from People's Daily Online) On March 21st, the main venue event for the first "International Taijiquan Day" Taijiquan exhibition was held in Wuyishan (武夷山), Nanping (南平), Fujian (福建). The main venue and the branch venues in Shiyan (十堰), Hubei (湖北), Jiaozuo (焦作), Henan (河南), and Handan (邯郸), Hebei (河北) carried out activities simultaneously to jointly celebrate the first international day named after a martial arts project established by UNESCO in November last year.
On the same day, the main venue played the introduction short film of "International Taijiquan Day" and the theme promotional film of "Wanli Tea Road·World Taijiquan", and interacted with the branch venues via video link. In the exhibition segment, Taijiquan enthusiasts, national champions, and world champions demonstrated the Twenty-Four Style Taijiquan, Taiji Eight Methods Five Steps, Taiji Fan, and various Taijiquan routines. This event was guided by the International Wushu Federation and the Mass Sports Department of the State General Administration of Sport (国家体育总局群众体育司), and jointly hosted by the Wushu Sports Management Center of the State General Administration of Sport (国家体育总局武术运动管理中心), the Chinese Wushu Association (中国武术协会), the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau (福建省体育局), and the Nanping Municipal People's Government (南平市人民政府). On the same day, the first "Wanli Tea Road" International Taijiquan Invitational Tournament opened in Nanping (南平), Fujian (福建).
Return to TopBeijing, March 21st (Reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男)) The Zhongguancun International Technology Exchange Center (中关村国际技术交易中心) recently officially launched operations, using technology transactions as a core link, and is committed to building a comprehensive service system for the entire technology transaction chain, promoting the realization of "global buying and global selling" of scientific and technological achievements.
The center takes the circulation of technology elements and the precise connection of innovation resources as its core, integrates diverse functions such as achievement display, technology transaction, supply and demand matching, and service support, and opens up the connection channels of scientific research institutions, universities, enterprise entities, capital markets, and professional service institutions, truly realizing "innovation has a platform, transformation has a channel, and development has support." Under the guidance of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, the center is jointly built by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (北京市科委), the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee (中关村管委会), the Haidian District People's Government (海淀区人民政府), and the Zhongguancun Development Group (中关村发展集团). Currently, more than 90 institutions, including the China Technology Exchange (中国技术交易所), the Shanghai Technology Exchange (上海技术交易所), and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Science and Technology Achievements and Intellectual Property Trading Center (深交所科技成果与知识产权交易中心), have settled in.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 顾仲阳 董丝雨
A "bamboo wing" drone opens up a new green track for the low-altitude economy.
At the beginning of this year, the bamboo-based tilt-rotor drone successfully made its maiden flight in Tianjin (天津), marking a major breakthrough in China's application of bamboo-based composite materials in the aviation field.
"The proportion of bamboo material used in the fuselage exceeds 25%, and the skin structure is entirely made of independently developed high-performance bamboo-based composite materials, which is the first of its kind in global fixed-wing drones." Qin Daochun (覃道春), director of the International Bamboo and Rattan Centre, introduced that the drone has dual advantages in terms of performance and cost. The weight of the entire aircraft is reduced by more than 20% compared to lightweight and high-strength carbon fiber materials, and the cost of bamboo green veneer is only about 1/4 of that of ordinary carbon fiber cloth.
China is the country with the most abundant bamboo resources in the world, with nearly 8 million hectares of bamboo forests and an average annual production of 150 million tons of bamboo.
In November 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the 25th anniversary celebration of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation and the Second World Bamboo and Rattan Congress that the Chinese government is working with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation to implement the Global Development Initiative, jointly launching the "Bamboo for Plastic" initiative to promote countries to reduce plastic pollution, address climate change, and accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China has been implementing the "Three-Year Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of 'Bamboo for Plastic'" in depth. The scale of the bamboo industry has continued to grow, and a relatively complete, rich, and distinctive bamboo industry system has been initially formed, forming a highly efficient "eat dry squeeze clean" whole-bamboo utilization model.
Moving towards new and better, small bamboos support large industries. Up to now, the variety of bamboo products in China has exceeded 15,000, and the annual output value of the bamboo industry exceeds 520 billion yuan.
——The variety of bamboo products is rich, and the application scenarios are more diverse.
Walking into Jiangxi Ganzhou Sentai Bamboo and Wood Co., Ltd. (江西赣州森泰竹木有限公司), a bamboo pipe organ attracts attention. The sound produced by tapping the bamboo hammer lightly is melodious and pleasant.
"The mechanical structure of the traditional pipe organ is combined with the innovatively designed bamboo soundboard and resonance components, which not only retains the basic playing characteristics of the pipe organ, but also incorporates the unique timbre of bamboo." Xu He (许贺), general manager of the company, introduced that the company can also produce more than 1,500 kinds of high-quality products such as bamboo structural materials for construction, bamboo decorative materials, and indoor and outdoor bamboo furniture and bamboo accessories.
Bamboo tableware and bamboo film bags are widely used in daily life, and bamboo grilles and bamboo grille water filling materials are gradually promoted in construction, industrial cooling systems and other fields. Bamboo fiber composite materials have been successfully applied to automotive interiors... As a green, low-carbon, and degradable biomass material, bamboo is becoming an important substitute for traditional materials such as plastics and steel, helping to achieve the "dual carbon" goal.
The application scenarios of "Bamboo for Plastic" are more diverse. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林草局) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) updated and released the "Main Product Catalogue of 'Bamboo for Plastic' (2025 Edition)", which expands the application range of bamboo products to replace plastics. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部), the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部), the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) and other departments actively promote the implementation of "Bamboo for Plastic" products in key areas such as building materials and express packaging. Fujian (福建), Zhejiang (浙江), Sichuan (四川), Anhui (安徽) and other places have issued special documents to encourage the use of bamboo products to replace plastic products in accommodation and catering, life services, cultural tourism and other fields.
——Core technologies continue to break through, breaking traditional application boundaries.
At the site of the Er Biao Project of Dongliu River (东柳河) Moat Sewage Trunk in Dazhu County (大竹县), Sichuan (四川), construction workers precisely laid bamboo winding composite pipes in the trenches to build a sewage collection and transportation channel in the Dongliu River Moat area.
"Our independently developed bamboo winding composite material technology can process bamboo into large-diameter pressure pipelines, urban integrated pipe corridors, and even high-speed train carriages. It has many advantages such as light weight, high strength, thermal insulation, sound insulation, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, low comprehensive cost, and convenient construction. It can widely replace traditional high-energy-consuming materials such as steel and cement." Ye Ling (叶柃), chairman of Zhejiang Xin Zhou Bamboo-Based Composite Materials Technology Co., Ltd. (浙江鑫宙竹基复合材料科技有限公司), introduced.
As China's first new infrastructure material, bamboo winding pipes have achieved large-scale application in municipal, water conservancy, transportation and other fields. At present, more than 700 kilometers have been laid in 11 provinces, production efficiency has increased by 25%, and unit cost has decreased by 13%.
Technological innovation is the core engine for the new development of the bamboo industry. Through the establishment of the "14th Five-Year Plan" national key research and development plan "Unveiling and Commanding" project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China major projects, and other projects, a number of technical problems such as the graded utilization of bamboo fiber and the manufacturing of composite materials have been solved, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration has cumulatively released 37 key scientific and technological achievements of "Bamboo for Plastic". Sodium ion battery hard carbon anode materials, trendy furniture and fashion... New bamboo materials continue to break traditional application boundaries.
——Full-chain integrated development to enhance industrial added value.
In Daguan County (大关县), Yunnan (云南), in the Jing'an factory of Jishidao (Yunnan) Food Technology Co., Ltd. (吉食道（云南）食品科技有限公司), modern bamboo shoot processing production lines are operating efficiently, and trucks loaded with bamboo shoot products are heading to various places. "During the peak sales season, products such as bamboo shoot slices, bamboo shoot strips, clear water bamboo shoots, and pickled pepper bamboo shoots are in short supply." Zhang Qiong (张琼), head of the factory's comprehensive management department, said.
Upstream, cultivate large-scale business entities and clear the blockages in harvesting and storage; midstream, strengthen leading industries such as bamboo home furnishings and bamboo fiber products, and develop emerging industries such as bamboo pharmaceutical chemicals and bamboo biomass energy; downstream, promote the integrated development of the bamboo industry with cultural tourism, health care, and cultural creativity.
Various regions tailor measures to local conditions to create a full-chain, multi-functional, and high-value industrial system. The highly efficient whole-bamboo utilization model of “一根竹子吃干榨净” (yī gēn zhú zi chī gān zhà jìng - "eat dry and squeeze clean one bamboo," to make the most of something; to utilize every part of something completely) has been implemented in various places. From bamboo shoot processing and primary production of bamboo products to diversified extensions of "bamboo technology + bamboo cultural tourism + bamboo carbon sink", last year, the total output value of the bamboo industry in Nanping City (南平市), Fujian (福建), exceeded 50 billion yuan. Launching a full-chain experience of appreciating bamboo, tasting bamboo, and playing with bamboo, in the first half of last year, the Bo Wang Mountain (僰王山) bamboo cultural tourism integration area in Xingwen County (兴文县), Sichuan (四川), received 1.8 million tourists.
Up to now, there are more than 10,000 bamboo processing enterprises in the country, and the entire industrial chain has absorbed more than 29 million employees.
While the domestic bamboo industry is upgrading, various regions are actively promoting bamboo products, bamboo technology, and bamboo equipment to "go global" and provide Chinese solutions for global "Bamboo for Plastic" and environmental protection. Youxi County (尤溪县), Fujian (福建), has 280,000 mu of bamboo forest that has obtained international FSC (Forest Management Committee) certification. After obtaining the "international green pass", the premium for exported products has reached 20%. Youxi Yongfengmao Paper Industry (尤溪永丰茂纸业) uses bamboo fiber to develop environmentally friendly tableware that can replace plastic products. Last year, the export volume of related products increased by 35% year-on-year.
The relevant person in charge of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林草局) stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, China will further improve the policy guarantee system, increase support for the circular economy development of the bamboo industry, and strengthen the construction of a full-chain standard system for "Bamboo for Plastic" product technology. At the same time, it will strengthen the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, create a competitive bamboo industry cluster, and lead the comprehensive transformation and upgrading of "Bamboo for Plastic".
Return to TopXi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary, emphasized the need to achieve decisive progress in building a healthy China during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. This year's "Government Work Report" proposed to comprehensively promote the construction of healthy schools.
Health is the cornerstone of students' growth, the bottom line requirement for cultivating morality and nurturing people, and is related to the future of the country and the hope of the nation. With the Ministry of Education (教育部) issuing the "Guiding Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of Healthy Schools," since the beginning of the spring semester, primary and secondary schools in many places have further implemented the educational concept of "health first" throughout their daily learning and life. From the classroom to the playground, the campus is filled with children's laughter.
——Editor
"Ban Chao" Ignites Primary and Secondary School Campuses
Our reporter Yin Xiaoyu (尹晓宇)
Dribbling, shooting, the players move swiftly; the cheerleaders are energetic, the whistles blow loudly, and the cheers rise and fall...
On March 11, the "Ban Chao" five-a-side football match kicked off at the Qidi Branch of Changjiang Road Primary School (长江路小学启迪分校) in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏). The students from Class 1 and Class 2 of the third grade ran and did their best.
Little player Chen Ziman (陈梓曼) became the best scorer of the game with 3 goals. She started playing football in the first grade. When she first entered school, the school provided each student with a jersey and a football, and arranged a football class every week. Usually, the footballs are placed in everyone's lockers. Whether it is during physical education class or during the break between classes, children who like football can play.
"Every class has a team, and there are competitions every year. This year's 'Ban Chao' is the fifth." Li Qingfeng (李清丰), principal of Qidi Branch, introduced that the school complements the inter-class activities with football training, basic physical fitness promotes special skills, and special interests feed back into physical training.
The reporter noticed that in addition to sharing sports equipment in the "self-service" area during breaks, students can also interact with AI fun sports screens. Shao Wutong (邵梧桐), a fourth-grade student, often plays fun projects such as "whack-a-mole squat" and "long jump" with his friends. As soon as she jumped, the screen not only showed the distance of the jump, but also data such as the height of the jump, the amplitude of the arm swing, and the angle of the jump, which made it easy to understand the quality of each movement.
Walking into Nanjing Agricultural University Experimental Primary School (南京农业大学实验小学), teacher Lu Yuhan (陆钰涵) is leading the children to practice football, preparing for the upcoming "Ban Chao". As a football teacher with more than 20 years of teaching experience, Lu Yuhan was a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Team (江苏省队) and has been engaged in teaching since retiring. She told reporters that the school introduces social resources and hires retired football players as off-campus mentors to teach football classes once a week.
"We are one of the first national football characteristic schools, and have formed a tradition of building teams and holding competitions. We have also created a set of football-themed inter-class activities." Zhang Mi (张蜜), the principal of the school, introduced that many students have found their potential and value in football.
Small football, big education. "Cultivating intelligence through sports" and "cultivating the heart through sports" are the annotations of Nanjing's healthy school construction.
The break between classes is extended to 15 minutes, there is 1 physical education class every day, and the amount of exercise time at school is no less than 2 hours; schools carry out post-school club sports classes such as badminton, rock climbing, and orienteering according to local conditions... Nanjing's primary and secondary schools carry out themed campus sports activities, forming the characteristics of activity curriculum, serialization, and branding.
Lu Puxin (卢普新), a first-level researcher at the Nanjing Municipal Education Bureau (南京市教育局), said that the next step will be to promote the implementation of various requirements for the construction of healthy schools, build a high-quality education system that promotes the all-round development of students, and contribute Nanjing's education power to cultivating new people of the era who develop morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and in terms of labor.
Building Archives for Children's Vision
Our reporters Xiao Jiaxin (肖家鑫) and Wang Zhe (王者)
At 9:50 in the morning, at Jingshan Primary School (景山小学) in Jinan (济南), Shandong (山东), the melody of eye exercises echoes in the sky above the campus.
Walking into Class 3 of the second grade, student Zhong Zitong (仲梓潼) follows the music commands and gently massages each acupoint in a circle with each beat. Pan Lili (潘丽丽), the class teacher, walks around from time to time, and reminds those whose movements are incorrect in time.
"My ideal is to join the army when I grow up. On the first day I entered the school, the teacher told us that we must take care of our eyes from an early age." Zhong Zitong said that she has gradually developed the habit of loving and protecting her eyes.
After finishing the eye exercises, Zhong Zitong and her classmates excitedly walked out of the classroom for inter-class activities. Coming to the "Eye Care Culture Corridor", she stood on the marked line and looked at the green vision chart 5 meters away.
In order to create a good environment for eye care and protection, Jingshan Primary School built the "Eye Care Culture Corridor" to create eye care and protection space and publicize eye care and protection knowledge in the form of vision charts and exhibition boards.
The perspective chart creates a three-dimensional space extending into the distance on the chart. When viewing the perspective chart, the eyes' focus will be adjusted, which can relieve eye fatigue caused by prolonged close-range use of the eyes. "During breaks, we often come here to relax our eyes, and we are not so tired in the next class," said Zhong Zitong.
While speaking, a few clouds floated in the sky, and it became dark. As the light dimmed, Zhong Zitong returned to the classroom and turned on the eye protection lamp in the classroom. After turning on the lights, the color temperature in the classroom was gentle and bright.
In order to accelerate the standardization of educational equipment and improve the visual environment, Jingshan Primary School installed eye protection lamps and anti-glare lamps for blackboards in more than 30 classrooms. The light is no longer dazzling, and the writing on the blackboard is clearer, which greatly improves the students' learning efficiency.
In recent years, the Lixia District Government (历下区政府) in Jinan City (济南市) has invested funds to complete the lighting upgrade project for eye protection lamps in primary and secondary schools throughout the district. The illuminance of classrooms in primary and secondary schools has reached the national standard.
At 2:00 p.m., walking into Yanshan Primary School (燕山小学) in Lixia District (历下区), Wang Yuan (王园), the class teacher of Class 13 of the second grade, was carefully guiding students to conduct vision screening.
Student Bi Rongxu (毕容珝) rested his chin on the chin rest, his eyes aimed at the electronic optotype on the screen, and the automatic computer optometry automatically focused... In less than 1 minute, the refractive data of the eyes, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and corneal curvature, were measured.
After each student's test, the school doctor enters the results into the electronic file in real time to realize one file per person, dynamic management, and precise early warning, and the prevention and control work has shifted from "passive response" to "active prevention and control."
"Now, the school conducts two vision tests for students every semester. Once the signs of myopia are found, it can be intervened in time." Gao Hongyan (高红燕), secretary of the Party Committee of Yanshan Primary School Education Group (燕山小学教育集团党委书记), introduced that in response to the screening results, the school implements precise measures: it issues school-family linkage receipts to students with suspected pseudomyopia to remind them of scientific intervention; it reminds and tracks management of those with a trend of declining vision and mild myopia, and guides scientific correction.
In recent years, the Shandong Provincial Department of Education (山东省教育厅) has guided and urged primary and secondary schools to strictly implement the vision monitoring system twice a semester, and has established electronic vision files for approximately 15 million primary and secondary school students in the province, and the monitoring results are fed back to teachers, students, and parents as soon as possible.
It is reported that since Shandong Province (山东省) was approved as a national demonstration zone for comprehensive prevention and control of myopia among children and adolescents in 2022, the high incidence and younger age trend of myopia among children and adolescents in Shandong Province has been effectively curbed. In the past 3 years, the myopia rate among primary and secondary school students has decreased by 4.27 percentage points.
Managing the Cafeteria Like Managing the Classroom
Our reporter Huang Chao (黄超)
The wok is steaming and sizzling, the intelligent cooking robot is operating in an orderly manner, the cleaned vegetables are put in, and the Kung Pao Chicken is quickly served according to the preset program, which is efficient and hygienic.
Walking into the Xiaoyou Campus of Ya'er Hutong Primary School (鸦儿胡同小学孝友校区) in Xicheng District (西城区), Beijing (北京市), the renovated 80-square-meter standardized micro-kitchen is clean and tidy, and the chefs are quick. "The cleaned vegetables are directly put into the robot, and all the recipes are configured, which is easy to operate and greatly saves time," said Vice Principal Yu Liang (于良).
A hot and reliable meal is the foundation of healthy growth. From eating enough to eating well and eating safely, campus meals affect the hearts of schools and parents.
Ya'er Hutong Primary School has "one school with three locations" and a fragmented layout. In addition, space limitations once made the Xiaoyou Campus face the problem of meal supply. Last year, the school completed the hardware upgrade of the central kitchen + micro-kitchen. The central kitchen of the main campus processes cleaned vegetables every day and distributes them to the micro-kitchen of the branch campus for production. "It only takes half an hour from the production of dishes to the distribution of lunch boxes to the class," said Yu Liang. This semester, the school has fully opened, purchasing and producing on the same day, and can provide lunch for nearly 300 teachers and students.
"My child always asks me what the school lunch is today before going to school every day." Han Qiu (韩秋), a parent of a third-grade student, said that the school invites parents to participate in supervising and managing the campus meal process, tasting the taste and checking the quality to improve service transparency.
In response to the situation that some schools have limited space and inconvenient meal supply, Beijing promotes kitchens to be closer to students according to local conditions, becoming a vivid microcosm of protecting students' health.
At 10:00 a.m., in the back kitchen of the Tonghui Main Campus Cafeteria of the Primary School Affiliated to Capital Normal University (首都师范大学附属小学通汇主校区食堂), the shiitake mushrooms and rapeseed are out of the pot. After the master chef measures the temperature, he puts them into the meal bucket and waits to be transported to the Liuming Campus (柳明校区) 6.5 kilometers away. At 10:30 a.m., meal buckets and insulated boxes were lifted onto a closed meal truck.
"It takes about 20 minutes. During transportation, meal buckets, insulated boxes, etc. will be labeled to ensure that the meals are not spilled or opened, and to ensure the safety, hygiene and taste of the meals," said Li Jianhui (李建辉), the school cafeteria manager.
It is reported that since the launch of the special rectification of campus meals in Beijing, the Primary School Affiliated to Capital Normal University has established a smart cafeteria management system, using AI image recognition, Internet of Things sensors and other technologies to automatically capture and alarm illegal behaviors, real-time early warning of abnormal environmental data, and build a full-chain, traceable, and intelligent supervision model.
"What children 'put in their mouths' is as important as what they 'put in their brains'. We manage ingredients and cafeterias like we manage textbooks and classrooms." The person in charge of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission (北京市教委) said that before the start of the fall semester, all school cafeterias must be included in the centralized designated procurement platform to purchase bulk ingredients.
Return to TopBy: 吴 丹
In 2026, 2029, and 2032, China's school-age population will experience a "wave-like" change, with the primary school, high school, and higher education school-age populations reaching their respective "peaks" in these three years, posing challenges to the allocation of educational resources.
The "tug-of-war" between population changes and resource allocation tests the wisdom of education governance. First, there is a mismatch in time and space, with some kindergartens and primary schools experiencing a decrease in student enrollment, while the high school stage continues to face pressure on the availability of places. Second, there is regional differentiation, with overcrowded classrooms in urban schools contrasting sharply with the "hollowing out" of rural schools. Third, there are fluctuations in the teaching staff, with rigid staffing systems in some areas making it difficult to cope with periodic shortages or surpluses of teachers, and an imbalance between overstaffing and understaffing in different academic levels and subjects. Taking it a step further, this will also affect teacher education.
During this year's National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (中国人民政治协商会议), the phrase "adapting to changes in the structure of the school-age population and promoting the structural adjustment of educational resource allocation" was included in the "Government Work Report" (《政府工作报告》) for the first time. Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng (怀进鹏) clearly stated at a press conference on livelihood issues that the ministry will strengthen forward-looking research and judgment, focusing on increasing the supply of places in towns and cities with net population inflows and in areas with weak infrastructure, and strengthening the cross-academic level adjustment of educational resources in accordance with local conditions. These signals send a clear message: educational resources should not only "follow people," but also "run ahead of changes."
Some places have already keenly captured the trend of population change and have begun to "ride the wave": Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi (陕西), and other places have carried out demand forecasting and released early warnings of available places in advance, easing the contradiction between supply and demand of places in popular areas and popular schools. Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东) is exploring a "kindergarten and lower primary school grades" and "upper primary school grades and lower secondary school grades" teacher sharing model, strengthening the integrated training of teachers to cope with the periodic changes in student enrollment at different academic levels. Jiangsu (江苏) is implementing an action plan to strengthen and improve compulsory education schools, encouraging areas with the conditions to appropriately reduce the size of compulsory education classes and explore small-class teaching.
From "passively responding" to "actively warning," from "static layout" to "dynamic flow," the explorations behind these are all about "investing in people" - leveraging the "qualitative change" of high-quality development of education in the "quantitative change" of the school-age population structure, and earnestly responding to the people's ardent expectations of "attending good schools."
Specifically, the focus of the layout adjustment is not only on increasing or decreasing hardware facilities such as school buildings and places, but also on revitalizing software resources such as teaching staff and curriculum. The key is to break down the barriers between urban and rural areas, schools, and academic levels, so that high-quality educational resources can truly flow and adapt to population changes in dynamic allocation.
The decline in student enrollment in some regions and academic levels has also opened a "window of opportunity" for the reform of education methods. With smaller class sizes and more flexible classroom formats, there is more room for personalized training to take root, allowing every child to be seen, cared for, and empowered. From a practical point of view, Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), Jiangsu (江苏), and other places have taken small classes as an important starting point for building a high-quality and balanced basic public education service system, carried out systematic planning, and accumulated valuable experience.
It should be noted that while the population is changing, the bottom line of educational equity cannot change. Education cannot only calculate the "scale account," and it is crucial to run the necessary small-scale rural schools well. These campuses rooted in rural areas carry the hope of rural children's growth and should never be simply withdrawn or merged due to a decrease in student enrollment. Safeguards should be strengthened, and high-quality resources should be channeled to the grassroots level through mechanisms such as pairing urban and rural schools, group-based school management, and the rotation of key teachers, so that rural schools can move from "small and weak" to "small and beautiful" and "small and excellent."
On March 13, the "15th Five-Year Plan" (《“十五五”规划》) was officially released. "Improving the mechanism for allocating educational resources in line with population changes," "orderly promoting small-class teaching," and "appropriately tilting new higher education resources towards populous provinces and central and western regions"... A series of important deployments have pointed out the development path for resolving the contradiction between the supply and demand of educational resources and promoting the high-quality and balanced development of education. In the face of the "wave-like" changes in the school-age population, we cannot simply do "addition and subtraction," but must shift to a more scientific adjustment of structure, optimization of layout, and improvement of quality. We must transform the pressure of population change into an important opportunity to improve the quality and efficiency of education and promote equity.
Return to TopBy: 熊永昌
The middle school stage is a golden period for stimulating scientific interest and cultivating scientific and technological innovation literacy. In the integrated promotion of education, science, technology, and talent, many schools are actively exploring new paths for science education. In the classrooms of Beijing 101 Middle School (北京一零一中), from "Chips and Computational Thinking" to "The Practical Journey of Aerospace Science," different courses attract students of different grades. Some people repeatedly try hundreds of times to debug a full adder, and some people calculate parameters and polish plans for simulating a lunar base ecological cabin... Through subject integration, grade connection, and school-institute collaboration, guiding students to engage with vivid practices and immersing them in improving scientific literacy is the main idea of our problem-solving in recent years.
Traditional science education often emphasizes theory and neglects practice. How can we promote subject integration and practical implementation, so that knowledge can be used to solve real problems? A teaching model that emphasizes both hands and brains can integrate knowledge into real scientific research projects. For example, organizing teachers and students to analyze how to select a site for a space launch base and how to design a spacesuit can organically integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines such as geography, physics, chemistry, materials, and engineering design... Each science and technology innovation course is equipped with corresponding hands-on practice sessions, and each project allows students to personally experience the complete process of "problem definition—design practice—testing iteration." Only by learning through doing and researching through doing can we guide students to achieve a two-way transformation of knowledge and abilities.
Science education cannot be achieved 一蹴而就 (yī cù ér jiù - "accomplish in one step," to achieve something in one go; to be successful overnight), and the focus is on step-by-step cultivation. Relying on grade connection, the school forms a scientifically coherent educational chain. Considering the cognitive differences of students of different ages, the curriculum system design should follow the law of gradation: the junior high school chip course mainly starts with mechanical adders, focusing on interest stimulation and hands-on ability cultivation; the senior high school aerospace course focuses on in-depth research and innovative practice, taking the launch scheme design of Mars rovers and the design of lunar bases as carriers; artificial intelligence and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) integrated courses are also divided into different levels such as enlightenment, foundation, improvement, and challenge... Curriculum design should avoid “一刀切” (yī dāo qiē - "one knife cut," a one-size-fits-all approach), decompose teaching goals according to the characteristics of different grades, and let science education fit the growth curve of students, slowly taking root and slowly bearing fruit.
One of the pain points of science education lies in the singleness of on-campus resources and the disconnection from cutting-edge scientific research. School-institute collaboration is an effective way to establish connections. In order to abandon the traditional model of fighting alone within the school, the school has established long-term and stable cooperation with scientific research institutes such as the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院计算所) and the Aerospace Information Research Institute (空天信息创新研究院). Researchers and on-campus teachers form a joint teaching team to jointly develop courses and compile textbooks, such as chip research and development, small satellite design, and remote sensing technology applications, injecting fresh vitality into the classroom; at the same time, they organize students to enter laboratories and enterprise workshops to get close to the front line of science and technology.
(The author is the principal of Beijing 101 Middle School (北京一零一中))
By: 本报记者 丁雅诵
Bending down to observe the colors and textures of different soil layers, carefully distinguishing the tactile differences between sand grains and clay, gently rubbing and twisting moist soil strips... At Beijing Baiwang Mountain Forest Park (北京百望山森林公园), a group of China Agricultural University (中国农业大学) students are gathered around a partial soil profile, intently conducting a field soil identification experiment.
"From the alluvial plain in front of the mountains, to the piedmont slopes, and then to the mountains, this area boasts a variety of soil types. The bedrock and parent material of different types have distinct characteristics, and the soil properties that develop are also different." Lu Yili (卢奕丽), associate professor at the College of Land Science and Technology, said, pointing to the profile in front of her, "Everyone, come down one by one to take soil samples and personally experience how factors such as terrain, climate, and hydrology jointly shape the land beneath our feet."
This is the teaching site for the compulsory course "Soil Science Experiment" at China Agricultural University (中国农业大学) – sensory method for determining soil texture. This course, offered to majors such as agronomy, resources and environmental sciences, is known by students as the "playing in the mud class" due to its unique teaching methods.
Why offer this course? "Agricultural science is inseparable from land, but many students now have little contact with agricultural production, and their understanding of soil is mostly limited to textbook concepts." Lu Yili (卢奕丽) explained the original intention, "What we want to do is to build a bridge for students from abstract theory to vivid practice."
An important method of the course is "sensory first," personally kneading soil slices, rubbing soil strips, and shaping soil balls, establishing an empirical judgment of different textured soils in a direct dialogue between fingertips and soil. "When fingers can distinguish the coarseness of particles, and eyes can recognize the depth of soil color, a personal 'soil sensory dictionary' is initially established." Lu Yili (卢奕丽) explained, "With this benchmark, more accurate judgments can be made when facing unknown soils in the future."
Of course, sensory cognition is not the end point, but also needs to be verified by quantitative methods. After forming a preliminary judgment, teachers will guide students to use soil color charts, dilute hydrochloric acid reaction tests, compaction meters and other tools to obtain objective data, so that subjective feelings and scientific indicators can corroborate each other.
"I used to think soil science was very abstract, but now I realize that there is a lot of knowledge in the soil." Wu Jiayi (吴佳仪), a student at the College of Agronomy, said with great feeling, "When the feeling of the fingers matches the data measured by the instrument, the joy of 'instant understanding' is particularly real."
Around student needs, the course team continues to promote teaching reform. "We have upgraded the traditional soil enzyme activity measurement method to a more efficient reagent kit method. In this way, students can be freed from tedious operations." Zhu Kun (朱堃), associate professor at the College of Land Science and Technology, said, "Cultivating scientific research thinking is more important than simply training operational skills."
At the same time, the combination of field teaching and virtual simulation is also being explored. "Currently, field teaching only has 4 class hours, which is tight in time and limited in location." Wang Yajing (王雅婧), Party Branch Secretary of the Experimental Teaching Center of the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, introduced, "We plan to introduce artificial intelligence technology to supplement virtual teaching resources for typical soil types outside Beijing (北京), so that students can access more diverse land even without leaving the school, making up for the limitations of field teaching."
"From complete strangers to being able to distinguish different soils, their progress is visible," "Mastering new skills is very helpful for future agricultural production practice"... In the message board of the after-class evaluation, many students said they had gained a lot.
And a more profound transformation takes place at the cognitive level. More students are beginning to truly understand the role of soil in agricultural production and are more determined to take root in agriculture. "Soil is not only a medium for crop growth, but also an important part of the ecosystem. Rational protection and utilization of soil is the basis of agricultural production and national food security." Wu Jiayi (吴佳仪) said that she will strive to learn and become a person who understands both theory and practice, who is good at both scientific research and down-to-earth work, and be a practitioner who knows, loves, strengthens, and serves agriculture.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 程 龙
"My motherland and I are inseparable for even a moment..." On the evening of March 5th, local time, as all the performers and the audience sang this melody filled with deep affection, the 2026 All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese's (中国侨联) "Kindred Affection for China • Spring Festival for the World" (亲情中华·四海同春) overseas Chinese visiting performance successfully concluded in Paris (巴黎), France (法国).
Since the eve of Chinese New Year, the 2026 All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese's (中国侨联) "Kindred Affection for China • Spring Festival for the World" (亲情中华·四海同春) overseas Chinese visiting performance Asia-Pacific and European troupes have traversed 6 countries and 12 cities, conducting more than 30 wonderful performances and exchange activities. They conveyed the warmth and concern of the motherland (or ancestral home) in familiar voices, sent warm blessings from relatives in their hometown, and showcased a vibrant and thriving China (中国).
A Concern
Conveying Warmth and Care
The drums were passionate, and the dance moves were graceful, instantly igniting the entire venue. On February 19th, local time, the third day of the first lunar month, the first stop of the 2026 All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese's (中国侨联) "Kindred Affection for China • Spring Festival for the World" (亲情中华·四海同春) overseas Chinese performance debuted at the Wellington (惠灵顿) Opera House (歌剧院) in New Zealand (新西兰). The China Railway Art Troupe (中国铁路文工团) Dance Team opened the performance with the opening dance "Prosperous Celebration," bringing the taste of the New Year, the warmth of home, and the blessings of the motherland (or ancestral home) to every audience member.
Jin Xiang (金响), a first-class actor from the Beijing Opera and Dance Theater (北京歌剧舞剧院) who has traveled with the troupe many times, sang songs such as "Great China" (大中国) and "Holding Hands" (牵手), singing the pride and deep affection of the Chinese sons and daughters. She said, "What we bring is not only wonderful programs, but also the flavor of the Chinese New Year, and the concern and care that must be delivered even across time differences."
A melodious and gentle song "Clouds of Hometown" (故乡的云) sang the longing of travelers for their hometown; a passionate and inspiring song "Eternal Melody" (永恒的旋律) sang the patriotic feelings of the Chinese sons and daughters who are united in their aspirations. Tang Fei (汤非), a vocal professor at the Communication University of China (中国传媒大学) and the singer of both songs, said, "I hope everyone can feel warmth and strength in the melody."
Audience member Zeng Kaiwen (曾凯文) has lived in New Zealand (新西兰) for more than thirty years. When the familiar melody sounded, his eyes were wet several times: "Tonight's performance made me feel like I was back in my childhood." He raised his mobile phone, fixed the stage, and also put this long-lost reunion into his memory.
This warm feeling, carrying the same concern, crossed the ocean and stirred up deep echoes in Europe (欧洲).
In London (伦敦), England (英国), during the first month of the lunar year, festive red lanterns were hung high in Trafalgar Square (特拉法加广场), cheerful melodies floated, and the atmosphere of the Bingwu Year of the Horse (丙午马年) was in the air.
On the afternoon of February 22nd, local time, the performance opened in the warm atmosphere of the Chinese Coal Mine Art Troupe (中国煤矿文工团) folk music ensemble "Happy New Year" (幸福年) and "Joyful Goat" (喜洋洋). The audience not only included British Chinese (旅英侨胞) who were supporting the old and the young and full of homesickness, but also attracted many tourists from all over the world to stop and linger. They either captured the wonderful moments in amazement or interacted enthusiastically in the joyful rhythm, turning the square into an ocean of celebrating and sharing the Chinese New Year together.
From the festive red lanterns in London (伦敦), England (英国) to the brilliant lights of Jakarta (雅加达), Indonesia (印度尼西亚), from the starlight in the late summer breeze of the South Pacific (南太平洋) to the gorgeous splendor of the art capital on the Mediterranean (地中海) coast, a series of audio-visual feasts combining oriental charm and contemporary atmosphere used art as a bridge to allow overseas Chinese to feel the strong Chinese New Year atmosphere.
"Kindred Affection for China • Spring Festival for the World" (亲情中华·四海同春) is not only a performance, but also a concern that crosses mountains and seas, and a vivid embodiment of the deep friendship of the motherland (or ancestral home) to the overseas children. Every melody played and every dance move displayed is a warm greeting from the motherland (or ancestral home) to the overseas travelers," said Cai Junzhu (蔡君柱), chairman of the French Overseas Chinese Association (法国华侨华人会), deeply moved after watching the performance.
A Grand Feast
Showcasing Chinese Culture
"Pear blossoms bloom, spring brings rain..." Hu Wenge (胡文阁), a first-class actor of the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre (北京京剧院) and a male Dan (旦, female role) inheritor of the Mei School (梅派), appeared in full costume and brought the classic aria "Ode to Pear Blossoms" (梨花颂), which was met with thunderous applause in the theater. Hu Wenge (胡文阁) has participated in overseas Chinese performances with the troupe many times. He said with emotion: "Seeing the overseas Chinese applauding excitedly under the stage and the foreign friends stopping to appreciate, I deeply feel that the charm of the national essence does not need translation. This artistic vitality that crosses mountains and seas is a solid footnote to our cultural confidence."
In the acrobatics "The Universe in Chess" (奕中乾坤) and "Unbeatable Speed" (唯快不破), diabolo and Chinese Kung Fu are performed in one go, showing the combination of strength and beauty; the ancient color magic "Gold and Jade Fill the Hall" (金玉满堂) changes unpredictably in the square inch, conveying good wishes to the overseas Chinese; the song "Jasmine Fragrance" (寻香茉莉) is adapted from classic masterpieces, with an elegant melody and full of fashion atmosphere...
Each ingenious program is not only a "cultural New Year gift" to comfort homesickness, but also an artistic feast that fully demonstrates the charm of Chinese culture to the world. Gao Wenzhi (高文致), a first-class actor of the China Railway Art Troupe (中国铁路文工团), said: "This performance took more than half a year from planning to the stage. Many programs have been adjusted and improved many times. We strive to dedicate the highest level of performance to our relatives overseas."
When Zuo Wei (左炜), a first-class actor of the China Coal Mine Art Troupe (中国煤矿文工团), presented the well-known "Youth Dance" (青春舞曲), the lively rhythm received a full house of applause. Zuo Wei (左炜) said emotionally, "It is the most precious happiness to gather with compatriots in a foreign country because of singing and resonate with melodies."
Led by Li Xin (李鑫), deputy director of the Performance Center of the China Coal Mine Art Troupe (中国煤矿文工团) and banhu player, the folk music troupe dedicated the folk music "There is a River in Front of My House" (我家门前有条河), which stirred the hearts of the audience with a delicate ensemble. Li Xin (李鑫) believes that it carries not only the flowing water in geography, but also the national wisdom of "the highest excellence is like that of water" (上善若水 (shàng shàn ruò shuǐ - "highest good like water," the highest form of goodness is like water, benefiting all things without contention)). "Today I use the traditional instrument banhu to play it, just to take the overseas Chinese home to see."
Traditional classics travel through time and space, and the innovative interpretation of Chinese and Western combinations also blooms with a different brilliance.
Young actor Fang Shujian (方书剑) performed excerpts from his musical masterpiece "Lion Boy" (雄狮少年) as a "second-generation overseas Chinese" (侨二代), and sang the classic French song "La Vie en Rose" (玫瑰人生) to pay tribute to the friendship between China (中国) and France (法国). He said with emotion that being able to perform for compatriots in a foreign country is not only an artistic exchange, but also a two-way rush of kinship. "I hope that through the program, overseas Chinese can hear the voices of their hometown, relieve their homesickness, and also show more overseas friends the youthful vitality and contemporary atmosphere of Chinese original musicals."
A series of programs full of Chinese flavor touched Lin Xianzhang (林贤璋), an international student, deeply. "Seeing that traditional instruments such as the erhu can perform local folk songs so ethereal, the artistic sparks from the combination of Chinese and Western cultures have given me more confidence in spreading Chinese culture overseas."
Shock and emotion also stirred in the heart of foreign audience member Michael Betz (迈克尔·贝兹). He used "incredible" to describe the face-changing program and the diabolo stunt: "Through this performance, we can transcend language barriers and better understand the connotation of Chinese traditional culture in a festive atmosphere."
A Window
Telling Chinese Stories
On the evening of March 2nd, local time, a group of special audiences came to the performance site in Bandung (万隆), Indonesia (印度尼西亚) - more than 90 Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (雅万高铁) operation and maintenance personnel.
During the performance of the song "Taking the High-Speed Rail to See China" (坐着高铁看中国), a huge screen slowly unfolded the magnificent scenery of the north and south of the Yangtze River, and the scene of high-speed trains traveling through mountains and fertile fields made the audience excited. "Tonight's wonderful performance made me feel a strong sense of homesickness." Wang Xiaohu (王小虎), director of the EMU system of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (雅万高铁) operation and maintenance consortium, said, "The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (雅万高铁) is a road of friendship that connects people's hearts and deepens cooperation. We will continue to protect this 'happiness line' with professionalism and responsibility, and continue to contribute to the high-quality joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' (一带一路) between China (中) and Indonesia (印尼)."
Using art as a bridge, the visiting performance troupe combined the contemporary pulse of China's (中国) development with traditional Spring Festival culture to create a moving picture of people-to-people connectivity.
"Today's Spring Festival has long been integrated into Indonesian society and has become a festive holiday shared by the people," said Naggamuddin (纳加穆丁), chairman of the Indonesian Regional Representative Council, who watched the performance live in Jakarta (雅加达), Indonesia (印度尼西亚).
Chen Yunguo (陈运国), chairman of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Victoria (澳大利亚维多利亚州华人社团联合会), Australia (澳大利亚), said: "Art is a resonance that transcends language. Through wonderful performances, more Australian friends can understand a real, three-dimensional, and warm China (中国)."
The charm of culture not only shines on the stage, but also quietly passes on in intergenerational inheritance.
In Barcelona (巴塞罗那), Spain (西班牙), local Chinese teenagers dressed in festive costumes took the lead with ethnic dances and drumming performances, kicking off the performance. "I am very excited to be able to participate in the 'Spring Festival for the World' (四海同春) performance with artists from China (中国)." Chen Yuxi (陈雨熙), a student at the Barcelona Chinese School (巴塞罗那中国学校) who participated in the performance, has been learning Chinese dance for 7 years. She and her classmates brought the classical dance "Charming Fan Rhyme" (俏扇雅韵). She said that as a Chinese child growing up in Spain (西班牙), she hopes to become a small bridge to let more people see the beauty of Chinese culture.
The afterglow of elegant music on the stage is leisurely, and the pace of cultural exchange off the stage is non-stop. The visiting performance troupe walked out of the theater and into the campus to tell Chinese stories in face-to-face interactions.
On the evening of February 24th, local time, a unique cultural interaction was staged in the Engels Hall of the Chetham's School of Music (切特姆音乐学校) in the United Kingdom (英国), which has a long history. Chinese traditional instruments such as sheng, erhu, flute, and pipa appeared in turn, and the crisp and melodious melody attracted bursts of applause from the British middle school students present. Many students also walked onto the stage to get close to Chinese traditional instruments.
"After listening to these melodies, I feel closer to China (中国)." Li Wenjing (黎文婧), a "third-generation overseas Chinese" (侨三代) studying at Chetham's School of Music (切特姆音乐学校), was very excited after watching the wonderful performance. "I have always been interested in the erhu. This time, I felt the timbre and beauty of Chinese traditional instruments up close, and I hope to have the opportunity to learn."
Mountains and seas are not far away, and tens of thousands of miles share the hearts of overseas Chinese.
"Art is a language that transcends national boundaries, and kinship is a bond that connects the world." Guo Qihua (郭启华), head of the Asia-Pacific delegation of the 2026 "Kindred Affection for China • Spring Festival for the World" (亲情中华·四海同春) overseas Chinese visiting performance and deputy director of the Cultural Exchange Department of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (中国侨联), said that in the future, more high-level and diverse forms of cultural exchange platforms will continue to be built, using overseas Chinese as a bridge to tell Chinese stories and promote the Global Civilization Initiative and the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, giving full play to the positive role of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (中国侨联).
Return to TopBy: 青 平
The "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划) outlines "deepening the integrated development of Qin-Macao," charting a new blueprint for the construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (横琴粤澳深度合作区) (hereinafter referred to as the "Cooperation Zone"). At this year's National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协), Macao's National People's Congress deputies and National Committee members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协委员) focused on deepening the integrated development of Qin-Macao, with "people's livelihood as a bridge and hearts connected" becoming a consensus for the construction of the Cooperation Zone.
2025 marks the beginning of the second phase of construction for the Cooperation Zone. The Cooperation Zone closely adheres to the "Macao + Hengqin" positioning, breaking down barriers through institutional innovation. While accelerating industrial synergy, it prioritizes the integration of people's livelihoods. People's livelihood is connected to people's hearts, and people's hearts unite to form a joint force. Only through the integration of people's livelihoods can the connection of hearts be realized.
Cross-border convenience is being made "seamless," and customs clearance upgrades empower a shared city life. Convenient customs clearance is an important step in the integration of people's livelihoods. The Cooperation Zone promotes "excellent connectivity" of people's livelihood services through "hard connectivity" of infrastructure, making the tangible border between Qin and Macao increasingly "seamless." Hengqin pioneered the "face-scanning" duty-free customs clearance model for the Cooperation Express Channel (合作快捷通道) in the country, and cross-border student buses are piloting duty-free customs clearance without getting off the bus... A series of pragmatic measures are creating a "half-hour living circle" between Qin and Macao. In 2025, the passenger flow at Hengqin Port (横琴口岸) exceeded 30 million for the first time. The busy flow of people and vehicles witnessed the vibrant vitality of Qin-Macao integration, and Qin-Macao is gradually transforming from "two cities" into "one city."
Government services are becoming "borderless," breaking down regional barriers and connecting people's hearts. Government affairs are connected to people's hearts, and services deepen integration. In the past, residents of Qin and Macao had to travel back and forth across the border to handle affairs, and the procedures were complicated. Now, Qin and Macao are jointly solving "pain points," actively deepening government services, promoting Macao's 24-hour self-service center for government affairs, and establishing Qin-Macao remote service counters, realizing the transformation from "running offline" to "handling online," and realizing two-way direct access for "Qin affairs handled in Macao" and "Macao affairs handled in Qin." Breaking down government barriers makes it easier for residents of Qin and Macao to handle affairs and live with peace of mind.
Medical resources are being "integrated," and health security is consolidating the bottom line of people's livelihood. Health is the foundation of people's livelihood, and medical integration is a concern for residents of Qin and Macao. The Cooperation Zone is promoting the integration of Qin-Macao medical care. Currently, hospitals in Qin and Macao are jointly building joint specialist clinics, realizing "point-to-point" cross-border transfers, 189 Macao doctors have completed practice registration, 545 specifications of Macao drugs are used across the border, and Macao medical vouchers have been extended to the Cooperation Zone... More and more Macao-funded medical resources and benefits are entering the Cooperation Zone, opening up the "last mile" of cross-border medical treatment, and safeguarding health with more convenient and efficient services.
Elderly care services are being "standardized," and senior citizens are enjoying a happy and healthy life. If elderly care is secure, then the family is secure. Allowing Macao's elderly to be supported and live in peace is an important issue for the integration of Qin-Macao people's livelihoods. The Cooperation Zone takes the standardized pilot project of Qin-Macao integrated home and community elderly care services as a starting point, improves the cross-border elderly care security chain, has built 4 home elderly care service centers and 7 elderly canteens, introduced Macao community organizations to provide services, and implemented "Guangdong-Macao Elderly Care Pass" (粤澳养老通) to realize cross-border transfer of pension funds, solving the "worries" of Macao's elderly. Warm services connect with elderly care needs, making silver-haired life more textured, demonstrating the depth of people's livelihood and the humanistic temperature of Qin-Macao integration.
There is no trivial matter in people's livelihood, and every branch and leaf is always concerned. The construction of the Cooperation Zone is not only an expansion and extension of development space, but also carries the ardent expectations of Qin-Macao residents, and is more concerned with the improvement of people's livelihood and the cohesion of people's hearts. This year is the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and a crucial year for the second phase of construction of the Cooperation Zone. Standing at a new starting point, we look forward to the Cooperation Zone writing a more warm and effective answer sheet for people's livelihood, creating a happy home for Macao residents to live and work in peace and contentment, and contributing fresh "Hengqin experience" to the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区).
Return to TopBy: 江 琳
As night falls, the Nansha Bay (南沙湾) in Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东) is brightly lit. The "Star River Galloping Horses Soaring Clouds" lantern display is magnificent: 11 horses stand tall, symbolizing the "9+2" cities of the Greater Bay Area advancing together with one heart.
Not long ago, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lantern Festival, themed "Bay Area Unity, Splendid Millennium," opened in Nansha District (南沙区), Guangzhou (广州). The five exhibition areas and hundreds of lantern displays will continue to light up until May 10. Following the first session last year, which attracted over 710,000 visitors, this year's Lantern Festival has sparked another upsurge, with crowds of tourists flocking to it in recent days.
The charm of the Lantern Festival stems from the unique appeal of the cultural Greater Bay Area. From dynamic special effects showcasing the awakening of the "Nansha Flower Goddess," to the vivid display of intangible cultural heritage elements from Guangdong (广东), Hong Kong (香港), and Macao (澳门), from the retro nostalgic street scenes outlining the old neon lights of the Greater Bay Area, to the dazzling debut of the 15th National Games mascots "Xiyangyang" (喜洋洋) and "Lerongrong" (乐融融), the leaping light and shadow reflect the ever-changing cultural Greater Bay Area. In addition, the Lantern Festival uses technologies such as virtual reality interaction, artificial intelligence, and holographic projection to make traditional lanterns more dynamic and shocking. The charm of the cultural Greater Bay Area continues to expand and extend: under the night, tourists enjoy the lanterns and gardens while shifting scenes, experiencing traditional culture and appreciating the miniature Greater Bay Area scenery; during the day, they can stroll through the mangrove wetland or visit historical sites, enjoying the green and beautiful ecology and cultural heritage. The integration of tradition and modernity, the advancement of culture and technology, and the symbiosis of ecology and development together showcase the vivid picture of the cultural Greater Bay Area.
Deep within the lanterns, one can see a more heartwarming picture of the Greater Bay Area's integration. In the "Same Roots, Same Origin, Bay Area Harmony" exhibition area, familiar Cantonese golden oldies echo melodiously, and classic film and television scenes reappear, making Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门) compatriots feel particularly cordial; Guangdong (广东), Hong Kong (香港), and Macao (澳门) teenagers jointly designed the "Teenage Creative Lantern Corridor," and the children's strokes not only light up the night sky, but also draw a future of unity and common direction. From emotional resonance to joint creation, the deep connection of blood ties has become a deep force for continuously promoting the mutual understanding and integrated development of the Greater Bay Area.
Standing at the beginning of the "15th Five-Year Plan," the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is using a dazzling visual feast to connect common memories and beautiful visions. Each lantern reflects the enduring vitality of Chinese culture; each scene demonstrates the concerted efforts of Guangdong (广东), Hong Kong (香港), and Macao (澳门). The unique charm of the cultural Greater Bay Area is dazzling in the era's galaxy; the vivid picture of the Greater Bay Area's integration is full of vitality on the new journey.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 冯学知
Spacious and bright spaces, warm and elegant decorations, adults chatting leisurely, children playing happily... In Sham Shui Po (深水埗), Kowloon (九龙), Hong Kong (香港), the Sham Shui Po East Community Living Room stands out among the cramped and old street-front shops, becoming a "second home" for more than 500 sub-divided flat residents in the surrounding area.
"Good morning!" At 11 a.m., the community living room opens its doors and becomes lively. After finishing the preparations, Man Yi-lok (文怡乐), the center director of the Sham Shui Po East Community Living Room, greets the arriving neighbors familiarly. A little boy obediently approaches her. Man Yi-lok gently touches his head, praises his progress, and the child's face blossoms with joy. For Man Yi-lok, this is her relaxing time of the day, "Every day, 150 to 180 neighbors come over, some almost every day. We are as familiar as family."
The Sham Shui Po East Community Living Room was launched in June 2025, spearheaded by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (香港特区政府), sponsored by China Merchants Group (招商局集团) for the venue, and operated by Pok Oi Hospital (博爱医院), which applied to the Community Care Fund (关爱基金) for operating expenses, with sub-divided flat residents as the main service target.
"It's very spacious and warm here, a place where people can feel comfortable and relaxed." Mrs. Han (韩太太), a resident, told reporters that she and her husband have been renting a sub-divided flat nearby with their 7-year-old son for 3 years. The narrow living space makes cooking and bathing difficult. Since registering as a member, the community living room has become the main place for her family's life.
Looking around the community living room, there is a catering area, dining area, study room, children's play area, self-service laundry room, shower room, and everything else, with a usable area of more than 300 square meters.
"After school, I send my child to the study room to do his homework. During this time, I buy groceries and cook, and wait for his father to get off work to eat together. I can take a shower and wash clothes here, and also play with my child in the play area." Mrs. Han is satisfied.
What surprised her the most was the change in her child. "He used to make a fuss about not doing his homework. Coming here, he studies with other children, and there are volunteers to tutor him. His homework has obviously improved." Mrs. Han said that her child has many playmates in the community living room, understands how to share with others, and his self-care ability has improved significantly.
"We have tutoring classes every afternoon, currently with about 25 students participating. Volunteers will tutor them in their homework. This service is very popular." As a senior service manager of children and family services at Pok Oi Hospital (博爱医院) and a professional social worker with nearly 20 years of experience, Man Yi-lok deeply understands the pain points of raising children in families with housing difficulties.
She introduced that sub-divided flat residents in Sham Shui Po (深水埗) are relatively concentrated. Currently, among the sub-divided flat residents registered in the community living room, about 40% are families with children, who generally face problems such as no one to take care of their children after school, difficulty in tutoring homework, and tense family relationships. The community living room not only expands the living space for sub-divided flat residents, but also provides services such as temporary childcare and life information, weaving a community support network.
For Ms. Ma (马女士), who lives alone with her two sons, the community living room is a place that makes her feel the warmth of society and rekindles her hope for life.
"We live in a room of less than 14 square meters. The two children are 9 and 7 years old, and they fight every day." Ms. Ma had a major operation last year and cannot work. She is temporarily living on government assistance. The cramped living conditions and the burden of raising two children are overwhelming her.
In August 2025, Ms. Ma accidentally learned about the Sham Shui Po East Community Living Room. "The two children didn't want to leave the first time they came in. Now, the children come after school, and I am much happier. I no longer lock myself in the sub-divided flat. Here, there is material support, group activities, and I often receive some thoughtful little gifts." Ms. Ma said.
On the bookshelf in the study room, there are books donated by the public library; in the refrigerator in the dining area, there are boxed lunches donated by public welfare organizations; on the wall of the hall, information about activities held by multiple organizations is posted... "Since the community living room has been in operation, many universities, regional groups, enterprises, including government departments, hope to cooperate here to organize activities." In Man Yi-lok's view, the community living room is also a hub for the convergence of love from all walks of life, allowing various resources to be accurately matched to residents who really need them.
During the interview with reporters, Ms. Ma's two sons sat quietly beside her, occasionally interjecting to help their mother supplement her answers. She turned to look at them from time to time, her eyes full of relief.
"Now the two brothers are very well-behaved, they rarely fight, and they study hard. The older brother's grades are outstanding." Ms. Ma said that with the help of the community living room, she can feel at ease to go out and find a job, create a better life for her two children, and hope that they will be able to help those in need when they have the ability in the future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 窦瀚洋
White walls and black tiles, rivers and streets adjacent to each other, a ray of sunlight shines on the Caodu River (漕渎河), reflecting the mottled light and shadow of century-old houses on Xiaoxi Street (小西街). As an important carrier of Jiangnan culture, Huzhou (湖州) City, Zhejiang Province (浙江省), lives by the water and has a long history, possessing six heavyweight "golden business cards" such as the Grand Canal World Cultural Heritage, the origin of world silk, and the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. The ancient river courses and ancient blocks scattered throughout the urban and rural areas are the core carriers of the aquatic landscape and historical context. As praised by the Yuan Dynasty poet Dai Biaoyuan (戴表元): "Having traveled all over the beautiful lands of Jiangnan, one should only live in Huzhou." The beauty of the mountains and rivers makes Huzhou a desirable and livable place.
How to protect this heritage has become a must-answer question for urban development. From the sails and oars of the Grand Canal to the silkworm relics of Qianshanyang (钱山漾), from the revitalization and rebirth of the two major historical and cultural blocks to the aquatic charm of ancient villages, Huzhou is not only continuing the city's cultural heritage but also constantly exploring methods and paths for the revitalization and utilization of cultural heritage, achieving a systematic transformation of "being able to be retained, passed on, and revitalized."
From a Resident's Perspective: How Cultural Heritage Can Be Retained
In the bustling downtown area of Wuxing District (吴兴区), turning into Xiaoxi Street (小西街), the hustle and bustle is suddenly gently blocked by blue bricks and black tiles. Ivy plants climb all over the mottled old walls, and the wooden window carvings of the ancient Ming and Qing houses are still exquisite.
As one of the historical and cultural blocks with the largest preserved scale and the most complete style in prefecture-level cities in Zhejiang Province (浙江省), Xiaoxi Street (小西街) hides the architectural codes of Huzhou (湖州) residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China between its bricks and tiles, and precipitates the life memories of generations of residents. "The old street cannot be demolished, the old neighbors cannot be scattered, and this atmosphere of daily life cannot be broken." When talking about the old street, Zhu Yueying (朱月英), a 79-year-old original resident of Xiaoxi Street (小西街), expressed the aspirations of everyone.
Wind and rain erosion once made this old street increasingly haggard—walls cracked, beams and pillars decayed, most of the houses did not have independent kitchens and bathrooms, and it was common for more than a dozen households to share a dry toilet; wires were randomly pulled like spider webs, and the road surface was muddy and difficult to walk on every rainy day. The residents' calls for improving living conditions became louder year after year.
This original residents' cherishing of nostalgia is the core principle followed in the renewal and protection of Xiaoxi Street (小西街).
"We have always adhered to the principle of 'not destroying the original street pattern, not relocating the original residents, and retaining the historical atmosphere of daily life', so that the renovated old street can both retain memories and adapt to new life." Gu Zhongjie (顾忠杰), the chief designer of the Xiaoxi Street (小西街) historical and cultural block renovation project who participated in the entire renovation work that year, said. In August 2014, the protective renovation project of the Xiaoxi Street (小西街) historical and cultural block officially started, and a renovation action of "restoring the old as before" was launched.
Gu Zhongjie (顾忠杰) introduced that at the renovation site, the construction team carefully disassembled the old wooden components, numbered and archived them for reinforcement and repair; the exterior walls retained the original blue brick style, and only used old bricks of the same specifications to repair the damaged parts; the interior of the building was completely renovated, adding independent kitchens and bathrooms, and laying natural gas pipelines and sewage pipe networks.
At the same time, 1,500 square meters of illegal buildings were demolished, and the vacated space was transformed into 2,000 square meters of public green space and service stations, where the elderly can play chess and cool off, and children have a place to play.
"When I moved away, I was very worried, fearing that I would not recognize my home when I came back. I didn't expect that after returning, the old house not only didn't change, but life became a hundred times more convenient." Zhu Yueying (朱月英) frankly said that during the renovation, the residents temporarily moved out, and after completion, seeing the brand-new home, many elderly people were moved to tears on the spot.
According to statistics, after the renovation, the per capita living area of the block increased from less than 10 square meters to 45 square meters, and more than 140 original residents chose to move back.
From "decrepit" to "rejuvenated", the renovation practice of Xiaoxi Street (小西街) proves that the protection of historical and cultural blocks is not simply repairing the old, but allowing old buildings to adapt to new life and allowing original residents to retain a sense of belonging. These old streets carrying Huzhou's (湖州) memories are telling the stories of the new era with a brand-new attitude.
In recent years, Huzhou (湖州) has orderly promoted the preparation of protection plans for 8 famous towns, famous villages, and blocks, forming a planning pattern of progressive advancement; and implemented precise policies for different types of cultural heritage: for villages with dense ancient river courses such as Digang Village (荻港村), the focus is on protecting the original features of "water lanes and fields, small bridges and flowing water", and retaining the texture of the aquatic landscape through dredging and repairing ancient bridges; for historical and cultural blocks such as Yishang Street (衣裳街) and Xiaoxi Street (小西街), the principle of "restoring the old as before" is adopted to implement refined updates.
From a Waterfront Fishing Village: How a Thousand-Year Heritage Can Be Passed On
Overlooking Digang Village (荻港村) in Hefu Town (和孚镇), Nanxun District (南浔区) from a high altitude, the contiguous fish ponds and mulberry forests resemble a huge blue-green chessboard; strolling through the village, the clear ponds are gently surrounded by lush green mulberry trees.
This is the core protected area of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System "Zhejiang Huzhou Mulberry-Dyke Fish Pond System" (浙江湖州桑基鱼塘系统). For thousands of years, the ecological cycle of "planting mulberry on the dyke, feeding silkworms with mulberry leaves, raising fish with silkworm excrement, fertilizing the pond with fish manure, and embanking mulberry with pond mud" is not only the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancestors in controlling water and developing agriculture, but also breeds a unique fish-mulberry culture.
As the president of the Huzhou Mulberry-Dyke Fish Pond Industry Association (湖州桑基鱼塘产业协会), Xu Minli (徐敏利) has witnessed the inheritance of fish-mulberry culture. As early as 2008, when she was a member of the Zhejiang Provincial Political Consultative Conference (浙江省政协委员), she submitted a proposal to protect mulberry-dyke fish ponds, and has been calling for it every year since then.
The reason for being so persistent is that this skill, which has been passed down for more than 2,500 years, once faced severe challenges. Xu Minli (徐敏利) recalled that in the past, affected by market price fluctuations, the price of silkworm cocoons continued to be low. The reality that "raising silkworms is not as good as working" caused many mulberry gardens to be abandoned and fish ponds to be unmanaged. Villagers jokingly called the scene at that time "fish ponds like plates, and pond ridges like chopsticks." The ancient system once faced shrinkage.
Since 2013, Huzhou (湖州) has started the systematic protection of mulberry-dyke fish ponds. Subsequently, the "Huzhou Mulberry-Dyke Fish Pond Protection Zone Management Measures" (湖州市桑基鱼塘保护区管理办法) was introduced, and a protection action involving various forces was launched. In 2017, the mulberry-dyke fish pond system was officially listed as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. "Since then, this is not only an ancient agricultural production model, but also a cultural 'golden business card' with world significance," said Xu Minli (徐敏利).
"In 2005, I discovered that Digang (荻港) had many abandoned wetlands, old mulberry lands, and some old ponds. Why not use Digang's (荻港) unique natural conditions to establish a fishing village integrating leisure, entertainment, and fishing, and retain tourists who come to Digang (荻港)?" Xu Minli (徐敏利) thought.
No sooner said than done, with the support of the local government, Xu Minli (徐敏利) used abandoned wetlands, old mulberry lands, and small fish ponds to develop Digang (荻港) waterway tourism routes and the Digang (荻港) Fishing Village agricultural tourism resort center, combining aquatic cultural elements with modern leisure culture to showcase the most complete Digang (荻港) aquatic charm.
"We have developed high-quality water tourism routes and agricultural tourism resort centers and food factories around mulberry-dyke fish ponds, allowing the people to achieve employment at their doorsteps, driving the employment of more than 600 local villagers, with an average annual income of more than 40,000 yuan. The food factory can also purchase and process the fish and mulberry leaves of the people into products, driving the local villagers to increase their income and become rich," Xu Minli (徐敏利) introduced.
For more than 10 years, the local area has always adhered to one thing: protecting, inheriting, utilizing, and promoting mulberry-dyke fish ponds.
Since 2010, the association has initiated and organized the Fish Culture Festival, which has been held for 16 sessions; in 2016, the academician expert workstation for agricultural cultural heritage protection was established in Digang Village (荻港村); in 2019, the "Huzhou Fish-Mulberry Culture Research Institute" (湖州鱼桑文化研学院) was launched, comprehensively launching research travel courses focusing on the Huzhou Mulberry-Dyke Fish Pond System, with historical humanities and on-site experience, sorting out the fish-mulberry culture and setting up 40 research courses, becoming a research destination for teenagers in the Yangtze River Delta region. Making silkworm cocoon lamps, painting clam shells, making silk paper... here, children can experience the original fish-mulberry culture and feel the agricultural cultural heritage.
"I think the mulberry-dyke fish pond system is not only a brand of Zhejiang (浙江), but also an ecological and cultural brand based on the world. We have an obligation to inherit and protect it," said Xu Minli (徐敏利).
Through the implementation of the cultural gene activation project, Huzhou (湖州) has sorted out 102 excellent traditional cultural resources and launched 7 cultural relic theme tourism routes, including multiple characteristic routes with the ancient river courses of Digang Village (荻港村), the Ming and Qing architectural complex of Nanxun Ancient Town (南浔古镇), and the canal relics of Xinshi Ancient Town (新市古镇) as the core. The decoding and activation of cultural genes make history perceptible and accessible.
From a Grassroots Team: How Cultural Resources Can Be Revitalized
In Yishang Street (衣裳街) in the old city, cultural activities such as literary film screenings and opera performances are always staged, and the cadres of the Yishang Street Community (衣裳街社区) are busy. Some people hold the process sheet to detail, adjust stalls, and test equipment; some people carry convenient bags, hand out manuals, and lead people to rest; some people shuttle through the scene to maintain order.
Not only cultural activities, but in Yishang Street (衣裳街), bluestone roads and digital guide systems coexist, and traditional intangible cultural heritage skills and trendy business formats are adjacent to each other. This "symbiosis of old and new" ecology is full of market atmosphere. Not only do local people love to visit, but also tourists from other places come to see it.
As early as 2008, Huzhou (湖州) launched a protective renovation of Yishang Street (衣裳街) according to its original texture, which not only retained the "human" shaped river history pattern, but also retained a large number of historical and cultural relics. As the commercial core of the old city of Huzhou (湖州), how to better play its original commercial function after protection has become the focus of social attention.
"Yishang Street (衣裳街) is the commercial core of the old city of Huzhou (湖州). Its history can be traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It should become a complementary commercial cluster integrating cultural tourism, characteristic commerce, and other formats." After rounds of discussion and verification, Fei Yanbin (费彦斌), the secretary of the general party branch of the Yishang Street Community (衣裳街社区), said that the local area determined the idea of "activating old spaces with new formats" to allow Yishang Street (衣裳街) to develop in protection and protect in development.
In 2024, a fusion restaurant and bar settled in Yishang Street (衣裳街). In the early stages of contact, Fei Yanbin (费彦斌) explained to the other party the cultural value, business complementarity, and development potential of Yishang Street (衣裳街), and emphasized the community and the street operation party's support for the introduction of high-quality new business formats, promoting its implementation.
"We are attracted to the historical and cultural atmosphere of Yishang Street (衣裳街), but we are also worried that as new residents, we cannot integrate well into the life of the old block." Shen Xiujuan (慎秀娟), the head of the restaurant, said that before coming, the community "set rules" that the exterior facade of the building cannot be changed without authorization, the interior decoration needs to be reported for review, and the main structure of historical buildings cannot be damaged in business activities, but also gave full policy and service support.
"We will regularly convene merchants, property management, and relevant departments to talk about needs, measures, and governance, help coordinate kitchen sewage discharge, night wine disturbance, and other issues, and promote the coexistence and win-win situation of traditional blocks and modern commercial forms," introduced Fei Jian (费健), deputy director of the operation and maintenance department of the block management committee.
In this regard, Yang Wenbiao (杨文骠), the head of the Shanhai immersive script killing reasoning hall, has a deep feeling. After settling in Yishang Street (衣裳街), the community and the operator specially reserved the shop at the Guan Yi River (馆驿河) for them. The classic Huzhou opera is being performed on the ancient stage next to it, and a group of old opera fans are tasting tea and listening. In the immersive script killing theater, young people are wearing Hanfu and playing reasoning and detective games in scripts adapted with the history of Huzhou (湖城) as the background. "This 'old building + new business format' model makes the culture more immersive and adds a 'new trend' of the times to Yishang Street (衣裳街)," said Fei Jian (费健).
When thousands of years of silk meet modern design, when old streets and alleys embrace trendy business formats, when ancient river courses flow out of new cultural tourism vitality... Huzhou's (湖州) cultural practice confirms a truth: protection and development are not contradictory, and cultural heritage and urban renewal can resonate at the same frequency.
A famous Jiangnan city is allowing historical and cultural "golden business cards" to cross the long years and integrate into the poetic daily life of contemporary people.
Return to TopBy: 何思琦
In the live broadcast room, professional dancers take turns entering the frame to start a "group broadcast" accompanied by Chinese-style music. Under their graceful dance postures, the comment section is filled with praise and likes; in a corner of the park, the performance of professional musicians is sometimes passionate and sometimes gentle, attracting citizens and tourists to stop and listen, and applause breaks out at the end of the song... Wherever the audience is, that's where the stage is. Faced with increasingly diverse cultural needs, whether it is traditional theater troupes embracing the small screen or professional actors taking the initiative to go to the masses, all kinds of explorations clearly point to a trend: elegant art is constantly breaking down walls and getting closer to the masses. In the process of taking root in the people and reflecting the times, the new mass literature and art are exuding fresh and lasting power.
Some people ask: Is the "national team" going to the park to perform a "dimension reduction strike"? In fact, the seemingly "condescending" approach has actually completed the leap in artistic realm. Artists walk out of the halls and build the stage between the fireworks, bringing elegant art closer to the people, which is a vivid practice of implementing cultural benefits for the people.
In the digital age, this "art returning to the public" has formed a virtuous circle of "online feedback to offline." Using superb skills to accumulate online reputation, the Shaanxi Provincial Song and Dance Theater (陕西省歌舞剧院) has transformed "cloud audiences" into "real audiences" in the theater. Since the launch of the "group broadcast," the theater has received several commercial performance invitations and driven its offline box office growth. This "out of the circle" also attracts more professional theater troupes to open up a second stage. As of December 2025, nearly 500 state-owned literary and art troupes have settled in online live broadcast platforms, with a cumulative total of more than 800,000 live broadcasts. This fully shows that the vitality of literature and art does not lie in the size of the stage, but in whether it can truly enter people's hearts. When elegant art actively embraces the public, the vitality it releases is a powerful testament to contemporary China's cultural confidence.
"Flying into the homes of ordinary people" is not only a change in the form and place of performance, but also a deep two-way rush. Art going to the public benefits not only the audience, but also art itself. For performers, isn't this a kind of reverse nourishment and improvement? Sun Chubo (孙楚泊), who is affectionately called "National Daughter" for playing in Beijing Zizhuyuan Park (北京紫竹院公园), is a professional actor of the China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater (中国歌剧舞剧院). The reason why her flute sound is moving is not only due to her superb skills, but also to her equal posture and sincere communication. Facing the obscure repertoire pointed out by the audience, she has to step out of her comfort zone to try it out; some folk masters will discuss professional issues with her, urging her to maintain the same level and completion as on the stage. As she said: "We must draw nourishment from taking root in the people, and gain the pressure and motivation to encourage ourselves to make continuous progress."
The relationship between new era literary and art workers and the masses may have surpassed the simple "you perform and I watch," and realized the transformation from "sending culture" to "planting culture," and then to "sharing and co-creating culture," which also represents the development direction of new mass literature and art. Literary and art workers are expressers and listeners. Art is no longer a one-way infusion. In the exchange and co-creation, the audience obtains aesthetic enjoyment, and the artists are inspired by the resonance of the masses. This warm interaction allows art to truly become a bond connecting people's emotions, and constantly draws nourishment from the hot mass soil.
The people need art, and art also needs the people. We call for more professional artists who "build bridges between palace art and urban life" to appear, so that high-quality cultural resources can truly extend to the grassroots and integrate into the ordinary lives of more ordinary people. May this elegance in the fireworks continue to settle with the pace of the times and continue to enrich our common spiritual home.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘以晴
"Dong, cha cha cha—" In the rehearsal hall of the Manchu Xincheng Opera Heritage Protection Center in Songyuan City (松原市), Jilin Province (吉林省), drumbeats reverberate. Wang Yu (王玉), a post-90s performer, raises and lowers her wrist, and a 5-meter-long silk ribbon draws an arc in the air, flying straight from one end of the stage to the other. Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞), a national representative inheritor of Manchu Xincheng Opera, sits in the audience, smile lines appearing at the corners of her eyes, applauding incessantly, "I've been singing Xincheng Opera for 54 years. Although I've retired, I still can't bear to leave it."
In 1972, the Songyuan City (松原市) Cultural Troupe came to the foot of Mount Hada (哈达山) to recruit students. Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞), 15 years old, was selected because of her "good voice and good looks" and was assigned to the Manchu Xincheng Opera genre.
What is Manchu Xincheng Opera? In the cultural troupe, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) first heard the veteran artist Yang Xinxin (杨欣欣) sing "Fighting the Wind and Sand," "Fuyu (扶余) is a good place, the mountains are clear and the water is beautiful," which was very similar to the ditties she heard the old people sing when she was a child. The singing style is an important marker that distinguishes different opera genres. The singing style of Manchu Xincheng Opera is derived from 27 traditional folk tunes, "It is native to our area and has been passed down," said Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞).
In the art world, there is only this one tune with southern and northern flavors; in the opera garden, there is no second branch with a myriad of colors. To get on stage, "a good voice and good looks" are far from enough. "Our body is as stiff as a tree, and every movement is almost meaningless." So, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) began to practice early in the morning, and she wore out countless pairs of cloth shoes.
A bigger challenge came from understanding the script. Manchu Xincheng Opera is mainly based on historical stories, "To perform well, you have to understand the clash of metal and horses, and the feelings of home and country." Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞), who only had a junior high school education, held a dictionary and studied the script, and veteran artists such as Yang Xinxin (杨欣欣) taught her the opera hand-in-hand. She learned duet singing, seated singing, excerpted scenes, practiced dancing, stage steps, and wrist skills... Day after day, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) gradually grew from a "small role" with few lines on stage to a "major role" who could take on important responsibilities, and she also began to have her own thoughts.
How can more people be attracted to listen to the opera? "We have to grab the audience from their ears," said Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞).
As an important instrument of Manchu Xincheng Opera, the octagonal drum used to be played relatively rigidly, with only three basic techniques: "rubbing, tapping, and shaking." Several people stood on the stage and began to perform according to the drumbeats. Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) and her colleagues kept pondering - the techniques should be changed, whether the drumbeats should be tight or loose, and should follow the plot and the fate of the characters; the instruments should be changed, adding the sanbang drum, the sanxian, etc., to cooperate with the octagonal drum to make the music more layered; the performance should be adjusted, for example, when performing a historical figure rushing to the battlefield, the drumbeats should be exciting to "hold the person up," and the actor should walk with his head held high and his eyes sharp...
At first, it was common for the instruments to "fight" with each other, and for the instruments to "fight" with the dance. But Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) and others were not discouraged. They invited local veteran artists to participate in the rehearsal, discussed repeatedly, and adjusted and pondered, "If this time is not good, we will practice again, and there will always be a day when we can cooperate well."
In the end, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) and the musicians disassembled and reorganized the old three-beat and old five-beat drum scores of the Manchu people, innovatively integrated the Manchu cunzi dance steps into the performance techniques, and innovated the octagonal drum performance form with large-scale rubbing, twisting, plucking, tapping, and shaking techniques.
In the past 60 years, Manchu Xincheng Opera has completed its transformation from a local opera genre to a national intangible cultural heritage with an average creation frequency of one new work per year. In 2025, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部) announced the sixth batch of national representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) was among them.
"The stage will eventually be handed over to the young people." In the audience, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞), watching Wang Yu's (王玉) performance, was full of appreciation, "These children have talent and can endure hardship."
When teaching performance techniques such as throwing a 5-meter-long silk ribbon, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) never hides anything. It is easy to throw heavy things, but it is difficult to control the light silk ribbon. "The wrist control should be like flying a kite, sending it into the clouds and pulling it back to the heart." Moreover, the attention should not be entirely on the silk ribbon and the wrist, but also on the graceful posture, raising the chin high, and pushing the hand diagonally forward. "This is the wrist skill. It is tiring to practice, but only after you have practiced it can you win the audience's applause."
After retirement, in addition to participating in teaching and occasionally performing on stage, Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) is still working hard to promote Manchu Xincheng Opera. She tells the opera to tourists who come to Chagan Lake (查干湖), records singing CDs for opera fans in the park, and actively promotes opera into schools, teaching children Manchu dance steps. "Compared with operas such as Peking Opera (京剧) and Huangmei Opera (黄梅戏), there are definitely fewer people who know and are willing to listen to our opera." Zhao Caixia (赵彩霞) said, "But after many years of hard work, it will get better and better. I hope this Manchu Xincheng Opera is like corn in the black soil, growing strong and full of vitality, and continuing to grow."
Return to TopBy: 刘万鸣
In recent years, I have continuously paid attention to rural aesthetic education, especially the aesthetic education conditions and environment for children in remote areas, ethnic minority areas, and old revolutionary areas. This concern stems from my "original intention."
I was born in Cangzhou (沧州), Hebei (河北) Province, and spent my childhood accompanied by the ancient Grand Canal and the Machang Jianhe River. The stout locust trees, ponds, and fields along the riverbank permeated my childhood memories with a strong rural atmosphere. At that time, the development of urban and rural education was uneven, and the gap in aesthetic education was even more significant. A small picture book or a vivid extracurricular lesson became my most sincere desire for beauty in my childhood, deeply imprinted in my memory. Later, I went to the city to study and work, and now I am a literary and art worker. Whenever I go deep into the grassroots level to sketch and collect folk customs, I always visit village and town primary schools to chat with the teachers and children there. As a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协委员), the requirement to continuously improve my ability and level of performing my duties has also made me a keen observer of the current situation of rural aesthetic education.
My observation began with repeated "walk-ins."
I remember one year when I went to Jiushan Town (九山镇), Linqu County (临朐县), Weifang City (潍坊市), Shandong (山东) Province, to collect folk customs, I couldn't help but walk into several rural primary schools. The classrooms of the schools were simple and clean, but the teaching equipment was not satisfactory: the projector screen was blurry, the electronic whiteboard touch control was malfunctioning, and the remote teaching computer was lagging and disconnecting... These problems seemed to only affect some classroom teaching, but they reflected the arduous challenges faced by rural aesthetic education in the digital transformation.
Perfect multimedia teaching equipment can break through geographical and resource limitations and send high-quality urban aesthetic education resources such as museums and art galleries into rural classrooms. When the colors, compositions, and rhythms of famous art works are presented in a clearer, more intuitive, and more vivid form, the seeds of beauty will quietly sprout in the hearts of children. At the same time, the rational use of multimedia teaching equipment can, to a certain extent, make up for the shortcomings of insufficient number of rural aesthetic education teachers and limited professional ability. The sharing of high-quality resources such as famous teacher courses and digital textbooks helps to fill the "gap" between urban and rural aesthetic education with technology. For rural aesthetic education, the upgrading of multimedia teaching equipment is not only a hardware upgrade, but also a concept upgrade, a resource upgrade, and a fairness upgrade.
However, due to problems such as high maintenance costs and long equipment update cycles, many of the schools I surveyed found it difficult to use multimedia teaching equipment to enrich teaching forms and stimulate classroom vitality. Over time, not only will the children's learning interests not be satisfied, but it may also affect the cultivation of their curiosity and creativity. Therefore, in 2024, I donated 30 teaching all-in-one machines to Jiushan Primary School (九山小学), Songwangzhuang Primary School (宋王庄小学), and Fuxing Primary School (付兴小学) in Jiushan Town (九山镇), hoping that these multimedia teaching equipment can improve the aesthetic education conditions of the schools, broaden the aesthetic horizons of the children, and cultivate their ability to perceive, appreciate, and create beauty. Later, the teacher told me: "The children said the picture is clearer" "They were so happy." That kind of simple and sincere language and heartfelt joy deeply infected me and inspired me to continue walking into the countryside.
In 2025, I and my colleagues from the China National Academy of Painting (中国国家画院) went deep into Loufan (娄烦) and Jingle (静乐) counties in Shanxi (山西) Province, which are designated poverty alleviation areas by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部). This red hot land was once a transportation hub of the Jin-Sui Border Region (晋绥边区). Today, the development of the cultural industry here is deeply integrated with the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside. Art workers use their brushes to capture the vigorous vitality of the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside and appreciate the beauty of nature and life. In my opinion, this is "shaping" the countryside. Educating people with beauty and culture is the way to cultivate more new-generation rural builders with aesthetic literacy, which is to "cast the soul" for the countryside. Therefore, I decided to donate a portion of my royalties every year to reward outstanding junior and senior high school students in the two counties for five consecutive years. I hope that a group of outstanding talents who can both inherit rural culture, love folk art, and empower the inheritance and innovation of rural culture with modern aesthetics can emerge from these children.
In my childhood, I cried to my mother for a picture book; I took great pains to ask for a New Year picture from my neighbor, which was an individual regret. Today, the development of the Internet has made it possible to attend the same class, and there are more ways to promote the integrated development of urban and rural education. Children are our common future and the hope of the nation. To improve the quality of rural aesthetic education, we need to further increase investment and set up special funds; accelerate the upgrading of hardware facilities and establish dynamic management ledgers; strengthen the construction of software resources and develop digital aesthetic education courses suitable for rural areas; mobilize social forces to participate and form a collaborative assistance atmosphere... These thoughts all come from my personal feelings in grassroots research. Improving the level of rural aesthetic education is to consolidate the foundation for the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside, and to reserve talents for high-quality development. Each of us should become a member of this cause.
(The author is the President of the China National Academy of Painting (中国国家画院院长))
Return to TopBy: 马勇明
Spring returns to Xingcheng, ink moistens Hunan. In March, in the mid-spring season, the 3rd National Regular Script Calligraphy Exhibition and the National Calligraphers Invitation Exhibition of "Hometown of the Sage of Regular Script" jointly opened in Changsha (长沙), Hunan (湖南). One exhibition showcases the diverse ecology of contemporary regular script creation, and the other pays tribute to the spiritual source of the millennium-old regular script. The two exhibitions reflect each other, which is not only a solemn tribute to the regular script model represented by Ouyang Xun (欧阳询), but also an inquiry and guidance on how calligraphy art can innovate in inheritance and develop in integrity, demonstrating the cultural consciousness and mission of calligraphy workers in the new era.
The Spirit of Regular Script:
The Strength and Bearing of Chinese Civilization
"Regular script, is the law, is the style, is the model." Zhang Huaiguan (张怀瓘) of the Tang Dynasty stated the prominent position of regular script in the Chinese character system and Chinese aesthetics. Since its budding in the late Han Dynasty, its foundation laid by Zhong Yao (钟繇), its innovation by the "Two Wangs" (二王), and its great success by Ouyang Xun (欧阳询) in the early Tang Dynasty, regular script has been tempered for thousands of years and finally became the model form of "square characters." Its upright and solemn structure, horizontal and vertical rules, are not only the ultimate norms of visual form, but also carry the Chinese nation's ethical ideals of "gentle and honest" and aesthetic pursuit of "moderate and peaceful," which is a concrete expression of the Chinese civilization's robust, solid, orderly, and vigorous spirit.
Looking back at the history of the evolution of regular script, its style evolution has always resonated with the spirit of the times. The elegant and beautiful Jin regular script flows out of the Wei and Jin demeanor of "awakening of man" and personality liberation; the simple and vigorous Wei stele precipitates the vigorous and simple life will and the vigorous atmosphere of national integration in the Northern Dynasties; the strict and magnificent Tang regular script reflects the confident and high-spirited spirit and institutional tension of the Tang Dynasty. Ouyang Xun's (欧阳询) dangerous and steep, Yan Zhenqing's (颜真卿) majestic and vigorous, and Liu Gongquan's (柳公权) penetrating bone strength all melt the calligrapher's personality, the era's style and charm, and the culture's profound power. Yan Zhenqing (颜真卿) cast the majestic atmosphere of calligraphy with the awe-inspiring integrity of "loyal ministers and righteous men," and Liu Gongquan's (柳公权) admonition of "if the heart is upright, the pen is upright" sublimated calligraphy to a philosophical realm of "skill advances to the Tao" and self-cultivation and moral character. Regular script thus transcends the scope of skill and becomes a symbol of Chinese cultural spirit, personality ideals, and aesthetic criteria, engraving the collective memory and cultural genes of the Chinese nation.
Contemporary Review:
Exploring the Way of Development in Inheritance and Breakthrough
The review results and exhibited works of this regular script exhibition provide a "diagnosis" for contemporary regular script creation. The 239 works that stood out from nearly 14,000 submissions present three distinct shifts, and also reflect deep-seated propositions that need to be solved urgently.
A positive shift is clearly visible. First, deeply cultivate the classics and trace back to the origin. The number of works that take the Tang regular script, especially the Ouyang Xun (欧阳询) and Yan Zhenqing (颜真卿) lines, has increased significantly, accounting for more than 60%. After extensive exploration, creators have re-advanced to the peak of regular script history, deeply studying the essence of law and the origin of spirit. The study of Wei and Jin small regular script, inscriptions of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and scripture writing has also been digging into the subtle, shifting from the pursuit of formal resemblance to the grasp of charm, demonstrating the consciousness of "taking the law from the top." Second, the integration of steles and posts, breaking the wall to seek life. Creators break through the binary barriers of "Wei stele" and "Tang regular script," and intelligently integrate the vigorousness of stele learning and the subtlety of post learning to activate the traditional law - or take the natural interest and strange shape of the Northern Stele to activate the Tang regular script law, or refine and sublimate the vividness of folk calligraphy and engraving with the brushwork rules of Tang regular script. Those works that are strict in law and full of vitality are the crystallization of the exploration of "transforming the ancient for my use." Third, return to the main body, and advance both skill and Tao. The deliberately spliced "exhibition style" has significantly declined, and creators have turned to deeply cultivate the subtlety of brushwork, the tempering of line quality, and the changes in structure, focusing on the inherent quality of the calligraphy body. How to seek danger in the upright and show temperament in the law has become a key proposition for breakthrough and innovation. This marks that creation is shifting from attention to external form to deep cultivation of the internal quality of brush and ink.
However, challenges and hidden worries cannot be ignored. One is the dilemma of separation of skill and Tao. Some works are either proficient in skill but lacking in meaning, or deliberately seek change but lose the law, exposing the creative tendency of "emphasizing skill over Tao." The second is the worry of homogenization. If the classics are only superficially imitated, or over-reliant on popular paradigms, it will lead to the convergence of styles and the elimination of personality, weakening the vitality of art. The third is the pain of shortcomings in learning. Problems such as the simplification of texts, the weakness of self-composed poetry and prose ability, and the omission of textual research still exist. The deep connection between calligraphy and literature, history, and philosophy needs to be strengthened urgently, reflecting the urgency of cultivating "scholarly spirit." The fourth is the need for ecological optimization. The interactive relationship between the review mechanism and the creative orientation still needs to be improved. How to more effectively guide "both literary and quality beauty," "both skill and Tao cultivation," and "literary and ink brilliance" through institutional design, and curb the impetuous and utilitarian style, is a problem that industry governance must solve.
Upholding Integrity and Integrating Innovation:
Writing a Calligraphy Answer Sheet for the New Era
Based on the vivid practice of cultural construction in the new era, the prosperous development of regular script art must be anchored to the practical strategy of "upholding integrity as the foundation and integrating innovation as the wings," exploring in inheritance and sublimating in innovation.
Upholding integrity is the foundation of establishing the soul. First, uphold the law of calligraphy. Brushwork, character law, and chapter law are the crystallization of thousands of years of wisdom and the fundamental lifeline of regular script. Studying Ouyang Xun's (欧阳询) "Thirty-Six Laws" and Zhi Yong's (智永) "Eight Laws of Yong Character" are compulsory courses for regular script inheritance and the logical starting point for artistic innovation. Second, uphold the spirit of aesthetics. The moderate and peaceful atmosphere, the robust and solid strength, and the implicit and lasting charm are the inner soul of regular script. It is necessary to activate the traditional aesthetic genes with the language of the times, so that the classical spirit can be renewed in the contemporary context. Third, uphold the roots of culture. Adhere to the tradition of "calligraphy is the painting of the heart" and "characters are like people," take calligraphy as an important way to cultivate the mind and temper the character, realize the unity of artistic quality and personal character, and inherit the cultural consciousness of "literature carries the Tao" and "ink conveys emotions."
Integrating innovation is the source of vitality. First, integrate the new realm of ideas. Break down the barriers of steles and posts, ancient and modern, and regions, and connect traditional resources with an open mind. Those who are determined to learn regular script need to draw line quality from seal script and official script, learn rhythm from running script and cursive script, and innovate expression paradigms in a broader perspective of calligraphy history. Second, integrate the new language of expression. On the basis of deeply understanding the law, inject contemporary aesthetics and thinking of the times, explore personalized brush and ink language, and let the ancient regular script rejuvenate the vitality of the times. For example, the exploration of integrating folk calligraphy and engraving interest in this regular script exhibition shows the contemporary translation possibilities of traditional resources. Third, integrate the new way of communication. Use digital technology and new media platforms to innovate aesthetic education methods, promote regular script art into public spaces and integrate into daily life. By promoting calligraphy into schools, communities, and the Internet, improve the aesthetic literacy of the whole people, realize the cultural value of "shared beauty for practical use," and let the millennium-old regular script become a spiritual spring that nourishes modern life.
The Chinese Calligraphers Association advocates the concept of "**立心铸魂** (lì xīn zhù hún - "establish the heart and cast the soul," to establish lofty ideals and cultivate noble sentiments), **守正融新** (shǒu zhèng róng xīn - "uphold integrity and integrate innovation," to adhere to the right path while embracing innovation), **文墨辉映** (wén mò huī yìng - "literary and ink brilliance," the harmonious blending of literary content and artistic expression), **共美致用** (gòng měi zhì yòng - "shared beauty for practical use," to promote aesthetic values for the benefit of society)," which is a concentrated expression of this strategy. The significance of the National Regular Script Exhibition lies not only in presenting creative achievements, but also in establishing aesthetic benchmarks, clarifying the direction of development, and uniting industry consensus. When the audience wanders between the classic works of the "Hometown of the Sage of Regular Script" and the innovative exploration of the National Regular Script Exhibition, we expect that this is not only a visual feast, but also can stimulate the resonance of cultural identity and the consciousness of mission. The long river of regular script is surging endlessly, nourishing the national spirit and shaping the cultural strength. Let us guard the traditional roots with awe, respond to the call of the times with the ambition of innovation, embrace the possibilities of the future with an open mind, and on the cornerstone of the millennium-old regular script, fully immerse the thick ink of the new era and write a brand-new chapter that has both historical depth and the height of the times!
(The author is the Party Secretary of the Chinese Calligraphers Association)
Return to TopBy: 於 水
As the earliest form of animated art, 2D animation has shaped a unique aesthetic style in its hundred years of development, thanks to its "frame-by-frame drawing" technique. In the current era dominated by 3D technology, how to revitalize this art form with profound cultural heritage has become a subject of continuous exploration for creators.
The creation of domestic 2D animation has always been rooted in the rich soil of outstanding Chinese traditional culture, drawing nourishment from traditional painting and making classic aesthetic elements the bright background color of animation creation. From China's first animated feature film, *Princess Iron Fan (铁扇公主)*, to a series of classic works launched by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (上海美术电影制片厂), Chinese animation has continuously enriched itself in dialogue with traditional art. In recent years, works such as *Chinese Odd Tales (中国奇谭)*, *Wolf Smoke (浪浪山小妖怪)*, *Fog Hill of Five Elements (雾山五行)*, and *White Bird Valley (白鸟谷)* have consciously broken away from foreign aesthetic paradigms, traced back to the origin of Chinese art, and injected new vitality into Chinese animation, once again drawing attention to 2D animation.
These successful cases show that 2D animation still has a vivid vitality today, and the key lies in finding the right way to express tradition. Taking *Wolf Smoke (浪浪山小妖怪)* as an example, the goal was established at the beginning of the creation: to allow the audience to recognize the stylistic characteristics of Chinese traditional art at the first moment of visual contact with the film, see innovative animation art forms, and feel the resonance of cultural genes. To this end, the creative team systematically studied the classic modeling paradigms of trees, rocks, mountains, and water in traditional Chinese painting, using ink lines to outline and shape, and ink to create layers, restoring the beauty of traditional ink painting; deeply explored traditional painting techniques such as halo dyeing and *cun ca* (皴擦 - "texturing and rubbing," a technique in Chinese painting), mastered the underlying rules through hand-painted experiments, and developed exclusive ink brushes to achieve traditional expression in digital painting. Facing the adaptation problem of traditional blank space and color animation, the team replaced pure blank space with clouds and mist, which not only retained the ethereal feeling of "using blank space as black" but also naturally blended with the colored background, allowing the charm of traditional aesthetics to take root in contemporary animation creation. In addition, the team also drew inspiration from ancient buildings in Shanxi (山西) and Buddhist statues, transforming them into scenes and characters in animation, allowing traditional culture to be vividly inherited in animation creation, and allowing Chinese aesthetics to build a solid cultural foundation for domestic 2D animation.
Realizing the synchronous resonance of traditional roots and contemporary aesthetics is the key to 2D animation creation. Facing the viewing needs of contemporary audiences, especially the requirements of theater animation for immersion and picture sense, it is necessary to find a balance between traditional expression and contemporary aesthetics. In the creation of *Wolf Smoke (浪浪山小妖怪)*, the team conducted new explorations and attempts in perspective, light and shadow, and modeling. The team did not adopt the scattered perspective of traditional Chinese painting, but expanded the depth space of the picture through the combination of focal perspective and wide-angle lens, creating a broader world for character performance; changing the traditional Chinese painting's habit of light light and shadow, using digital technology to design rich layers of light and shadow effects, making light and shadow an important means to set off emotions and create atmosphere. The team also used digital technology to create visual effects such as the Tyndall effect, dynamic clouds and mist, and special effects rain scenes, making up for the lack of special effects expression in traditional hand-painting, and realizing the symbiosis and integration of technology and art. In terms of character modeling, the team drew on the essence of line art from traditional figure paintings by Dai Dunbang (戴敦邦) and Liu Jiyou (刘继卣), combined the line language of traditional *baimiao* (白描 - "plain drawing," a monochrome drawing technique) with the aesthetic logic of contemporary comics, and optimized the character's facial contours and body proportions. For grassroots characters such as little monsters, by exaggerating the head-to-body ratio and designing cute expressions, they cater to the aesthetic preferences of contemporary audiences, making the character image easier to evoke emotional resonance.
The exploration path of 2D animation is blooming, but years of creative practice and market testing have confirmed a rule: only by deeply rooting in traditional culture, basing on contemporary expression, and promoting the deep integration of traditional aesthetics and modern technology can national animation gain lasting vitality. Outstanding Chinese traditional culture is an inexhaustible treasure trove, while contemporary creative concepts and technologies are the keys to activating the mine. We look forward to letting Chinese aesthetics bloom with more era-like brilliance on the screen in the innovation and integrated development, and walking out of an animation art road that is both national in style and full of new era ideas.
(The author is a professor at Beihang University (北京航空航天大学))
Return to TopBy: 杨灿伟
The vernal equinox, known in ancient times as "Daytime" (日中) and "Equal Day and Night" (日夜分), is the day when the sun shines directly on the equator, dividing day and night equally. Yin and Yang are in balance, making it the most balanced moment between heaven and earth. At the same time, ancient people worshiped the sun to pray for a bountiful year, and folk customs such as standing eggs, flying kites, and eating spring vegetables were practiced, integrating the praise of life and the understanding of the seasons into daily life.
The unique charm of the vernal equinox lies in the harmonious integration of natural balance and humanistic perception, which provides artists with a vivid creative theme. Throughout history, from court painters to literati painters, a large number of excellent works have been created to express the connotation of this solar term. Among these works, "Plowing and Weaving Pictures" are more representative, undertaking the function of disseminating agricultural technology and reflecting the court's attention to and response to the order of heaven and earth and the foundation of people's livelihood. Since the Song Dynasty, the theme of "plowing and weaving" has been passed down. Among many works, "Plowing and Weaving Album" created by Chen Mei (陈枚), a court painter in the Qing Dynasty, skillfully integrates Chinese and Western painting techniques. The album contains a total of 46 paintings, of which the two paintings of roller and cloth seedlings truly reflect the scenes of spring plowing and spring planting. The roller leveling the ground and the cloth seedlings sowing seeds presented in the paintings correspond to the actual content of agricultural production before and after the vernal equinox. The whole painting is full of life and vitality.
The vernal equinox has three phases: the first phase is "Yuan Bird Arrives" (元鸟至), the second phase is "Thunder Makes a Sound" (雷乃发声), and the third phase is "Lightning Begins" (始电). In the Qing Dynasty's "Ink Wonderful Pearl Forest Album" (墨妙珠林册), Zhang Ruoai's (张若霭) "Twenty-Four Solar Terms Picture" (二十四节气图) (Mao Album) of "Vernal Equinox" (春分) (see picture) outlines a scene of phenology. In the upper part of the picture, dark clouds are densely covered, and lightning and thunder are thundering; the middle part is a continuous mountain range; in the lower part, trees stand tall, and farmers carry rakes and walk on the paths in the fields, conveying the profound meaning of cherishing agricultural time. The vernal equinox also has three flower messengers: the first is Begonia, the second is Pear Blossom, and the third is Magnolia. Yang Dazhang's (杨大章) "Flowers and Birds Album of 'Begonia and Swallow'" (花鸟册之“海棠燕子”) in the Qing Dynasty captures the delicate state of begonia flowers and the agility of swallows with delicate brushstrokes, and the coloring is bright and elegant. The painting is themed with begonia and swallow, which is a wonderful portrayal of the phenology of the vernal equinox. As a symbolic migratory bird of the vernal equinox, the swallow symbolizes family peace and the prosperity of offspring in traditional culture. Here, flowers and birds are the embodiment of the news of heaven and earth; pen and ink are the artist's perception of the passage of time.
Flying kites during the vernal equinox is a long-standing folk custom. The Qing Dynasty's anonymous "Happy Harmony in the World Album of 'Flying Kite Picture'" (欢洽寰区册之“放筝图”) and Yangliuqing New Year Picture "Ten Beauties Picture: Flying Kite" (十美图·放风筝), etc., all depict the joyful scenes of people flying kites in the spring. The painters fixed this moment of flying kites in different forms, vividly expressing the joy and ease of the characters.
Another important custom during the vernal equinox is "eating spring vegetables." Dai Jin's (戴进) "Collecting Vetch in the Creek Valley Picture" (溪谷采薇图), which is said to have been created in the Ming Dynasty, has a detailed expression of this. This painting mainly depicts the spring life scene of a farmer's family in a deep mountain valley. The mountain forest scenery in the picture is deep and misty. An old farmer and his wife are digging wild vegetables in the fields. In the thatched cottage, two women are cooking in front of the stove, and the children next to them are helping to make a fire, which is busy and warm.
After the vernal equinox, it enters the season of spring sunshine and colorful flowers. The brightness of spring is also condensed into a timeless poetic meaning in the painter's pen. In Yun Shouping's (恽寿平) "Spring Warmth in Lakes and Mountains Picture" (湖山春暖图) in the Qing Dynasty, the mountains are rolling, small boats are wandering on the wide river, several houses are hidden in the mountains and forests, and green trees and red flowers are set off on the left and right. The brushwork of the picture is elegant, and the coloring is fresh and moist, integrating the interest of the Song and Yuan Dynasties. It not only shows the beauty of the landscape in the south of the Yangtze River, but also is full of a quiet and comfortable life, showing the comfort of spring.
Through the charm of Danqing ink, we can know that the vernal equinox is rich in connotation. As an important solar term, the vernal equinox is not just a mark on the calendar, but also condenses the wisdom of life passed down from generation to generation. Painters respond to the same season in their own ways, inheriting the same cultural memory, not only providing people with visual images to settle their body and mind and observe nature, but also reminding us to feel and grasp the beauty of this season in the present.
(The author is a researcher at the Institute of Fine Arts of the Chinese Academy of Arts)
Return to TopBy: 王一川
In the internet era, a "new mass art" wave characterized by "everyone can create, life is art" is quietly reshaping the cultural landscape of this era. It is no longer a one-way appreciation and edification, but a co-creation and sharing involving the entire population. Amateur curation is a light and lively wave in this tide, providing the public with new ways to participate in art, and also providing new inspiration for art museums to transform into public aesthetic education platforms.
The masses have always been the source of vitality and the main force of literary and artistic creation. The "new mass art" makes the connection between literature and art and the masses closer. Based on a deep understanding and active response to the inherent vitality of "new mass art," the Shanghai Art Museum (上海美术馆) began in 2023 to focus on creating a new public education brand "Amateur Curator Program" from the perspective of the people, allowing amateurs to deeply participate in exhibition and public education integrated planning, and continuously strengthening the connection between the public and the art museum. Letting amateurs curate exhibitions is to fully explore the most moving power of art—it is hidden in the sincere expressions of thousands of ordinary lives.
Compared with the academic context and artistic perspective constructed by professional curation, the characteristic of amateur curation lies in "truth" and "self," that is, amateur curators reinterpret works from their own life experiences and professional backgrounds, injecting different humanistic temperatures into the exhibition. For example, in the "Amateur Curator Program," retired teachers use the museum's collection of paintings to tell the original intention of educating people, nurses use the color of the paintings to convey the temperature of life, and securities practitioners use the lines of Wu Guanzhong's (吴冠中) works to interpret data logic, etc. Different people give different interpretations to the works, allowing art to enter specific lives from the high halls. These narratives from the perspective of the public and with sincere emotions create new connections between works and life, not only inspiring the audience, but also profoundly changing the curators themselves—in the process of sorting out emotions and constructing narratives, they complete a sublimation of self-cognition and the realization of public expression.
The "Amateur Curator Program" of the Shanghai Art Museum (上海美术馆) is not an isolated case. In recent years, allowing the public to participate in the construction of museums and art museums has become a practice agreed upon by various places. The Hangzhou Museum (杭州博物馆) launched the special exhibition "Million Collections: A Museum Collects a City," in which not only the exhibits were donated by citizens, but also the exhibition content planning and form design invited citizen representatives to participate throughout the process. Some art museums also subdivide according to age and invite children to curate their own exhibitions, giving play to the role of "second classroom." These amateur curations are intended to incorporate the "audience's perspective" and build art museums into open, co-creative, and shared aesthetic education positions.
Looking at the whole country, the wave of mass participation in artistic co-creation is rising. From the blossoming of individuals such as "cleaner painter" Wang Liuyun (王柳云), to the broad platforms actively built by government departments and institutions such as the "Fengcai City Art Season" (丰彩城市艺术季), a new ecology of multi-level and widely participated literary and artistic production is taking shape. This creative shift of "mass co-writing" is a vivid portrayal of the increasing awakening of the spiritual and cultural subject consciousness of the people, and it is also an inevitable trend of the era of artistic democratization.
Amateur curation also reflects the new trend of upgrading public education in museums and art museums. With the emphasis on aesthetic education from all walks of life, museums and art museums are constantly innovating in cultivating the public's comprehensive abilities. From exhibition tours to inviting the public to experience handmade creations, the public is transforming from viewers to participants. Today, giving the right of curation to the public further strengthens the connection between art and the masses, and promotes museums and art museums to leap to vibrant cultural co-creation platforms. In this process, museums and art museums focus on exploring the construction of a collaboration mechanism between experts and amateurs, and finding a balance between professional norms and public wisdom.
The practice of amateur curation allows us to clearly see the positive significance of activating the public's inherent artistic perception and creative enthusiasm. Looking forward to the future, we are full of confidence that the vitality of literature and art will be more vigorous in the common writing of the masses. And we will build art museums into "public soil" that inspires, accompanies, and gathers the creativity of the masses, allowing more ordinary and shining life stories to grow new meanings here.
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